Two days ago I had my birthday. Two days later we are celebrating the WordPress’ 19th birthday.
Another day older…
So it’s a perfect topic for today’s episode. First I want to admit that I wrote and recorded the first version of this post. I started it with the fact that even though I had wanted to get some people to send me their Happy Birthday to WordPress, that hadn’t panned out. In fact, there is a great site you should check out if you haven’t already, called WP19.day, that makes up for my shortcomings on that part of the equation.
Now I had thought about what I wanted to say in this episode, and, oddly enough, found myself a bit speechless. Then I started recording. Trying to pull together the last 15 of the 19 years I have been involved with WordPress, all the different stuff I had done. What it has meant to my life. After I recorded it, something dawned on me.
WordPress / Community
It was weird. I found myself thinking, am I suppose to open my dashboard and tell it Happy Birthday? Was there some code somewhere that I should have given a birthday cake to? Do I sit in my office by myself and sing Happy Birthday to a zipped file in my downloads. I know, this all sounds very silly. But honestly it hit me.
It’s not all about WordPress the software, or is it the incarnations I have done myself with WordPress software, but the thousands and thousands I people I have met. It’s not about what I have done, it’s about all the volunteers who have sweated over code and every other piece of WordPress.
It those times when we sat around dinner at a WordCamp and laughed our asses off.
It’s not banging always at my keyboard, but instead participate in a contributors day.
Those hundreds of individuals who have built incredible products and services.
The mom and pop shop that built their own site.
The real celebration of WordPress is when I watch both the experienced and inexperienced talk about WordPress through some medium. Or the leadership I have admired over the years. It wasn’t about my past with WordPress, it’s about now and the future.
It’s about the open source community of WordPress.
So, hey community, WordPress users, builders and everyone that has touched WordPress in one way or another, it’s your birthday today as well. Your piece, no matter how small or big has made a difference in your life, and likely others.
That’s it. One last birthday wish to WordPress. We will be taking the next two Friday’s off because of WordCamp Europe and the little vacation Judy and I have planned in Porto. But stay tuned for some great podcast episodes while I’m gone and keep on Doing the Woo.
