Some people enter our lives at precisely the right moment to make a significant impact. Tracey Gaughran-Perez is one of those people for me; she has been an inspiration from the moment I discovered her blog, Sweetney.
Tracey’s ability to serve as a muse of sorts didn’t just have to do with her incredible gift to write or her successful blog; there were so many other aspects of Tracey that served as a catalyst for me. Tracey was my guide in settling into separated and then post-divorce life, which included fearlessly redefining myself along the way. Tracey showed me, through her success, that I could build a career I wanted for myself after the divorce. I had faith in my ability to someday be successful in building a business around things I was passionate about because this single mom did it. Her personal blog Sweetney, collaborative blog (or blogazine) MamaPop, and her writing career at Babble’s Sweetney & Spice are great examples of her success. When I finally took the leap to create Naked Girl in a Dress, I even used Sweetney Designs for the initial look of the site.
Tracey’s ability to be a positive influence on me flowed into my love life as well. As I struggled through the dating process these last four years, Tracey has given me hope. When Charlie came into her life, Tracey showed me finding love with a man, who would also love her child completely, was possible.
Sweetney, the blog I voraciously read as I was building the courage to launch my own, is coming to an end later this month. After so many years of reading Tracey, this is a big loss. Because Tracey and Sweetney symbolize so much more for me than a blogger and her blog, it’s hard to see this one go.
But at least it’s not goodbye.
ARRGH. WATER, COMING OUT OF MAH EYES.
This is just, gah, so humbling. Thank you so much Kelly. I’m so honored.
*quiet sob*
You are great, Tracey. I look forward to reading your words, wherever they might be.
Between Sweetney and The Bloggess, I’m not sure I would have survived the last couple of years. Tracey’s been such an inspiration, someone I find myself admiring (as well as, sometimes, being insanely jealous of, because, c’mon, hot baker boyfriend??! *sigh*) for so many different reasons. I’m sad that she’s shutting Sweetney down, but I understand.
It is so nice to sit from afar, watching as her life post-divorce has come together. She deserves the happiness that she has created in her life.
So I guess I owe her a big thank you for inspiring you, who in return has returned the favor of guidance and hope by inspiring me. It really is a chain reaction of goodness I see.
Oh, thank you for that compliment! You are a great writer and have inspired me along the way, too. See summer serial dating posts. 🙂
I was sorry to see the end of an era for me: that’s how I see it. I admire Sweetney and she writes with absolute assuredness in her words.
I miss confidence like that.
Her voice is something I will miss, too. Sweetney & Spice is a nice column, but it’s different from what we have come to expect at Sweetney.