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| Some of the everyday things I have blogged about. |
Before I started this blog, I thought about stories I wanted to tell. They were stories about personal struggles and triumphs. They were funny stories and serious stories. However after two years, I haven't told one of those stories here. That is because they involve details about other people who didn't ask to be part of my blog. They were about friends and family who would rather not have some important parts of their life shared in a very public way. So, I have tried to respect that.
Therefore, you may know what my family had to eat last week and that we went on a hike, but you won't know the individual struggles we are having--the ones that make us angry with each other and the ones that make us cry for both sadness and joy. You may know that we got a good deal on a garden tool but you won't know how that savings fits into our overall budget. It's not that I think that others shouldn't share these things on their blogs. In fact, some of the most meaningful and inspirational stories come from reading about others personal journeys.
As time has gone on, I have thought of my blogging community more like a family. I am ready to share more personal things like the death of my father, but others still are not ready for me to bare all. I ask permission if a post involves anyone other than myself before I publish it even though we all have an alias. You may have noticed that most of my pictures don't show faces or show them only from a distance. If you see a whole person, the picture is quite old or a stranger I have gotten permission from. Some place names are real and some are not. If you read much, you should know what area of the USA I live in, but not much more than that.
"With this blog, I am trying to take time to notice everyday things around me with both appreciation and curiosity." That was one of my early statements about the purpose of this blog and I think Live and Learn-Toss and Turn has helped me to do that. I do know that this blog has made me a happier person overall. I spend more time appreciating the outdoors around me with A Second Look. I take time to be reminded of the simple things I'm thankful for with Thankful Sundays. I remember fondly Wally and Theo's early years with Ponderings and Boy vs. Girl. I am eating healthier and more frugally with Food Waste Friday and True Food Confessions. And the list goes on.
Upon reflection, I declare my blogging approach a success for me. For now, I will share some of my personal stories with just my family and then enjoy reading yours.
I'd agree with you - blogging has helped me appreciate the world around me a bit more and the simple things, has made us change the way we do a few things, food wise, waste wise and money wise, and brought a few good blog friends including you! As bloggers we can make up the rules for our blogs - I'm glad yours are working for you and I know that there are others, like me, who appreciate your blogging approach too!
ReplyDeleteWhen I started blogging, I had no idea what to expect. In fact, I didn't even think about it. However, I am surprised that I have made friends here and also, that it would have such a positive effect on me. So, I'm glad that I've gotten to know you and hope to hear more from you soon. It's always good to hear from a friend.
DeleteI had no real plan when I started as to what I was going to write about. I just tend to go with what moves me for now.
ReplyDeleteThere is usually passion in your writing, so you can tell that you are writing about something that moves you.
DeleteThat's what makes the real world and the blogging world so interesting. We're all different.
I have that struggle of how much I personally want to divulge. I try to draw the line at "could this be helpful to someone else?" There are times when I'd really rather go hide under a rock for 6 weeks. During those times, I really don't want anyone to know about me or my life, or what has hurt me. And then of course, I do have to be careful about how much information about my family I give out. They don't necessarily want other people to know about their lives (okay, one exception, I have one very extroverted person in my family, who is waiting to be "discovered", and this person wouldn't mind so much anything about their life in print). For me, there has to be set limits on what I will and won't write about.
ReplyDeleteI assume that it is one of your dancing daughters that wants to be discovered. I wish her luck.
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