The world of blogging is HUGE, isn't it? I never knew how many professional mommy/wife blogs there were until recently! I was reading a friend's blog and then clicked on someone else's link from that page and then someone else's... until I was sufficiently overwhelmed by the pure volume of really good mommies and wives out there!
So good, in fact, that they have anywhere between a hundred and two thousand followers! They even have sponsors and copyrights for their blogs. Crazy! That's amazing to me! I know I'm probably naive and this is news to no one but me, but I am just, well... amazed!
I have a friend who recently quit blogging because she didn't understand why her words, or anyone elses, were any more important than anyone else's and why they needed to be published on a blog screaming for others' attention.
And it got me thinking. I'm fairly new, or at least naive, to this blogging thing, right? I guess I really don't know why anyone should take time out of their day to read my blog. It's nothing terribly exciting. I'm not a "super"-mom or wife. I don't have exciting or adventurous things to document about my day-to-day life!
I began to get a little self-conscious about the fact that I have only a handful of followers. And most of the time no one comments on my blog. So... why am I wasting time on something that not many people care about or want to set aside time to read (especially because I am no writer by any stretch!).
Skip to a related story... the other morning I stumbled upon someone else's blog. She was pouring her heart out about self-esteem issues that she struggled with stemming from a childhood illness. I didn't know who she was, but it moved me because I, like her, have also struggled with a childhood disease (nothing life-threatening), that has traveled with me through time. The physical effects come and go pretty mildly, but I've carried the emotional affects with me throughout my life. Things that her and I, as it seems, are trying to shed and still get past some twenty years later!
I connected with her. And I imagine that's why she was blogging... because she wanted to be heard. And her commenters/friends wanted to be there for her. Because God has placed in us a desire to be understood and to understand and to comfort and be comforted and to celebrate with and to be celebrated. And what a great way, in the 21st century, to do it by putting it out there in bloggyland!
Another thing, blogging has become somewhat of a therapy to me. I have never been a writer, but I feel like being able to articulate my thoughts and experiences day to day, help me process them, help me see and map out a little more clearly what God IS doing in my day-to-day seemingly mundane life.
So, reader or no readers, this blog is for me to remember what I was doing today and yesterday! And whether my words are read by the multitudes or by just a few, at least I'm sharing a little bit of my life with others, which is good.
8 comments:
I don't know if you had a chance to read my post before you linked up today, but what hit home for me from the speech I listened to is that "our stories matter because we matter." Blogging is all about making connections.
I'm right there with ya! I've been blogging(not continuously) for almost a year. At first I was obssessed with how many followers I had or if anyone commented on my posts. Sometimes I still care but I realized that I really wanted to blog to help me on my journey, to keep me real, and to connect with someone and show them they aren't the only one having issues. I wanted someone to know that someone else out there understands what they are going through. As long as I keep that in mind, the rest just falls into place.
Sandra - I've been having this conversation with some good friends of mine. We all keep connected through an FB thread and each others blogs. We each have at least one blog - some up to four. We've talked about the difference in journaling and blogging. The feedback which may be received via a blog, the 'power' felt in sharing something with 'the world', the ease of typing and watching a white screen being filled with little black letters. It's a strange phenomenon. Thanks for pouring your heart out regarding this and I'll try to be less lurker and more commenter ^.^
I hear ya and thank you for sharing. I enjoy reading your thoughts and experiences. It's nice to connect and find similarities. God is using your words, so please keep writing. I'd miss you if you if you weren't here. =)
I started keeping the blog over a year ago when we moved to China. I did it because we were living so far away and I wanted to be able to keep everyone up to date with the things we were doing so they would know we were okay. And we WERE okay. But mostly, except for a few rare occasions, it was just "informative."
I debated whether or not to keep it up when we got back to the States. But I decided that NOW I keep it for me. I don't keep it for anyone else. We're home. They know that. We're back to our boring lives that we had before we left. None of them really check it out anymore. But that's okay. Because like I said, I keep it for ME. Sometimes you just need to say things out loud. To make yourself feel better. And THAT'S why I still keep it. For me. And because I've started reading other amazing blogs, like yours, and it makes me realize that I'm not the only one with fears and insecurities. We ALL have them. Some of us just put them out there for everyone to see! ;)
Mich
Sandra,
This is from an old(er)lady's perspective. Do it to keep a record of what you thought and how you felt on the way through this journey we call life. We do not remember days, or weeks. We remember moments. Having spent the last few days going through old photos, I realize how much I have forgotten. My mother in law kept a diary for years. Nothing long and involved, just who came to visit or what the weather was, but it has become a valuable tool for those of us doing family history research etc. You don't need any reason to do it other than that you want to. Keep on writing and being the awesome lady you are.
Sandra,
I love reading your blog. When I take a quick facebook break at work, I am always excited to see a new link to your blog. It gives me a break from the craziness of work, if even for just a few minutes. When I read the posts about your miscarriage, I sat at my desk and cried (which I think freaked out some of my co-workers). I had gone through this myself over a year ago and hadn't spoken about it to anyone since right after it happened. That night I went home and my husband and I had a long talk about it. We finished the conversation about how God blessed us with a beautiful little girl exactly a year (to the day!) later. I don't know if we would have ever had that conversation if I hadn't read your blog that day. So God does use your words, whether you are aware of it or not!
Love you friend! So glad you are blogging! Thanks for feeding us dinner tonight too!
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