1,001 posts later…how blogging made me better.

blogging is something i needed in my life, three years ago.
complete kudos to this girlfriend, who introduced my daughter to blogging,
which inspired me to start blogging one full year later…

i’ve been writing, and sharing a lot about my life here since august, 2007. i’ve met amazing people online and in person from the blogging community. all of you, inspiring and beautiful in endless ways. i’ve been motivated to do things i may not have done without the blog-sphere influence in my life…
i’ve been touched by other people’s lives, numerous times,
for the better.

1,001 posts.

is that crazy?

is there a meter somewhere displaying how much time i’ve invested?

every minute completely valuable.

a totally worthwhile investment.

here is something that is strange to admit: blogging is a performance. a virtual performance. i know a lot of people who like to complain on their blogs. and, i am completely entertained by their complaints. i had a sociology professor in college {my first time in college} tell our class that if you want to bond with a stranger instantly, just complain. for example, while standing in the grocery store line, say something like, “the weather lately has been awful…” and you’re well on your way to a conversation. and a friend.

well, my soul typically takes a different approach. i offer genuine compliments and a positive outlook on life. however, i am always in search of friends…

in search of friends, because, my extended family tree is rather unique. because of this unique family i come from, i quite often find myself feeling completely abandoned or extremely alone. the blogging community not only offers a creative refuge for me, but gives me a deep connection to many of your lives. kicking my loneliness to the curb. i cherish, all of you. i have been fortunate my entire life to be surrounded by beautiful, talented friends, who support me. they deal with my ‘complaints’ in real life, unfortunately for them! but, this blog has added friends to my life…

life itself, is a performance of sorts. parenting is a performance. {and, balancing-act} heck, we may as well call it a live circus, most of the time. but… parenting, within our homes and outside of our homes comes in so many varying categories…whether stay-at-home, work-at-home, working, student, no matter what kind, ~ parenting is difficult. writing about the difficulty is important to give others going through it a sense that they are not alone. but i worry that complaining about this life i chose with my kids would be like spitting in the face of all the mothers who must work away from home to support their families; the parents who hearts break every morning when they leave the daycare center; the men and women who would gladly trade places with me, but cannot. i was raised by a single mom, and have views of both situations.

sure, i have things to complain about. daily. hourly. but because i have this blog to collect and share my thoughts and experiences, and to keep our memories alive. i have generally been able to live with more positivity {is that a word?} and zeal than if it wasn’t all so public. when writing publicly about your life, i think there’s a natural tendency to try to live a better one. you do fun things you might not ordinarily do because i have the privilege of sharing those things with others. you. i find whatever inspiration there is, in an ordinary day, and i share it with friends, family, and most often, strangers.

and i am better for it.

there have been moments, when i wanted to walk away from this blog. share my life and creativity, elsewhere. or privately. but, because i had this blog and the people reading it, quite often, i’ve changed my mind and you’ve continued to make my life better.

thank you. 1,001 times again, thank you.

*****

that brings me to what’s next. i’m not quitting. i have this fire in me, that life is still just beginning in our family. as my sil once reflected on her blog, “i spent the first twenty years preparing for the next twenty. then in the next twenty did nothing to prepare for the next twenty…” with her words in mind, i am working hard to balance it all. remembering the first twenty, managing this twenty, and preparing for the next twenty+ to come…

because, the best is yet to come.

this felt like the right time to reflect a bit.
to take a moment to thank you for helping make the
last three wonderful years of my life possible.

thank you so much for reading & commenting.

warmly,
jane

xoxo.

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