Takeaways and Nuggets

I read a blog post today in which the writer said he was told that every post should have a "takeaway" and a "nugget." I've been reading his blog posts for a while, and I kind of think they usually have plenty for me to "take away," but the comment made me wonder how my posts would stack up in the "takeaway and nugget" contest. What do people take away from reading about someone else's experiences? I wonder.
 
As I reflected on both my own posts and the other person's, I realized that what I take from his posts is not necessarily something he holds out to me, as if to say, "Here, take this." Rather, my "takeaway" is the meeting of my thoughts and opinions with his thoughts and opinions. I take away something, or store some "nugget," because something in there rings true, or gives me insight I might not otherwise have had. Only a strictly instructional blog post (and what fun would that be?) would hand something over that you could just take without thinking. Most of us, I imagine, continue to read because ideas strike a chord in us. If the blog post makes us think, or feel, or understand, then we bloggers have done our job--takeaway taken, nugget delivered. Which is not so different from any learning or growing experience we ever have--what we bring to the table is a huge factor in how much we take  away.
 
And that's the only nugget I've got I've got to give--at least for today. Go ahead--take it away!