A quick thought before I go about my Wednesday, which is my busiest day of the week.

I’ve long said that writing for public consumption is not for the faint of heart. The moment you set your words before the world, you expose yourself. Your thoughts, your convictions, your attempts at clarity or humor—all of it sits out in the open where anyone can take a swing. And they do. It doesn’t matter whether what you said was good, measured, or even kind. There will always be someone waiting in the tall grass, eager to pounce.

That’s the risk of writing publicly, especially in the 21st century. You’re stepping into an incredibly reactionary arena where opinions and skimmed half-knowledge are razor blades—light enough to be waved around carelessly and sharp enough to leave marks. And yet, in that same noisy world, there are other readers. They’re not holding razors. They’re holding gratitude. And their responses remind you that for every pounce-ready critic in the weeds, there’s someone quietly thankful you dared to say something at all.

I suppose this is why I commend all who take the time to think, to write, and to share. It truly takes guts to wander out into such a landscape. Anyone can whisper ideas toward their computer screen. Venting where no one can push back is easy. But to take the time to craft one’s words, share those ideas, and then stand back while the world reacts—that’s something else entirely.

It’s the strange courage of any writer throughout history, talented or not-so-talented, to put one’s mind to work with language, all the while knowing the critique will come, knowing the ambush is inevitable. And still, they write and share anyway.