The goal of this review is to describe, from a personal perspective, the development and emergence of the resting state fMRI. In particular, various concepts derived from the resting state data are discussed in detail, including connectivity, amplitude of the fluctuations, analysis techniques, and use in clinical populations. We also briefly summarize our efforts in creating an open data sharing platform as well as both a journal and a conference dedicated to brain connectivity. All three projects are aimed at significantly increasing the impact of resting state fMRI developments and enabling large, collaborative science projects.