So says Daenerys Targaryen as she and her team survey the map table in preparation for the siege of King’s Landing.

She says it authoritatively, less a question—far more a command. A demand. This is what she’s been working toward, planning for, suffering for. And now it’s upon her.

The launch of anything can be daunting. The idea of commitment to a plan, a cause, taking a risk, a leap of faith that a thing will work, succeed. The risk is frightening. When we begin, we put ourselves out there. We say, This is the start of something, something that matters and I am committing to it.

We all experience many beginnings—our own lives, at birth; marriage; embarking on a career. I remember clearly the day I filed papers for the nonprofit I started 8 years ago. The trepidation—the feeling of “let’s forget this—I can’t do it.” But I took the leap, I did it, and it’s been pretty satisfying.

Now I am beginning this blog. Launching myself into the ether, so to speak. Putting my words out there for anyone—or no one—to read. 

I wrote the first post weeks ago, as yet unposted. I got stuck when I decided to upload my photos to the cloud so that I could work on the blog wherever I was, another daunting act since I am no techie. I have 12,000+ photos from all over the world, and I had no idea how long the upload would take. Two weeks in, and it’s still in process, and I can’t seem to get at my pictures. I’d committed to begin, but this wall arose, stopping me. To be frustrated in this way led to “oh what the hell—give it up” thinking. 

But a new understanding emerged. That instead of a wall, this waiting is an opportunity–to prepare, to get ready. No giving in to the pre-event jitters, the pre-performance nerves. It’s time to get to the real work.

So stay tuned. We have lots to talk about.