When I first started blogging, I basically was using it as a journal. I also didn't start out on Blogger, but on Xanga, instead. Actually, if I'm completely honest, my very, VERY first blog was over on LiveJournal. That was back in 2002. It was a short lived one, though...short enough that I actually have all the pages of that one printed out and stored in a folder in the basement (in a Rubbermaid, of course). That one is long gone. I'm sure they deleted it from their servers, because I certainly can't find it anymore.
Anyway, my point. I didn't start my blog as a way of getting readers, garnering comments, or making friends. While those are all wonderful things (validation can be a good thing, my friends), it's not why I started blogging. It's how it's ended, though. I got so wrapped up in trying get more readers, write interesting posts so I would get comments, and post often enough so that my followers would keep coming back, I got bogged down. I lost my steam. It became too much work. It was intended to be a place for me to document the happenings of my family, to help me remember.
In the end, the comments I receive, while nice, are not important to my family. The contents of the posts will be, though. Back in September of 2008, a message board friend passed away. She kept a blog and I am quite confident her children will cherish being able to read their mothers thoughts and memories as they get older (the message board collected money to have her blog printed in book form and sent to her family). That is what I want. Something that I can print and give my children when they get older, memories of their childhood, my thoughts about them, as well as pieces of myself that I'm sure will find their way in.
Does this mean I will be blogging more consistently? Probably not. I mean, let's be realistic. If history repeats itself, as soon as The Duke gets here, I'll probably be pretty scarce around here. My blog still hasn't fully recovered from Sassy's birth, after all. I'm OK with that....I think. The truth of the matter is, though, I have a horrible memory. Unless something was written down, I have a hard time remembering things from Crafty's toddler hood. I'm sure the same will apply to all of my children's childhood years down the road. It has been nice to be able to go back and read what we were up to when we were just a family of three. The same, I'm sure, will apply to us as a family of four, and again once we are a family of five. So, my new year's goal (not a resolution-sounds too official)? When I do blog, that I will blog with memories and family in mind instead of aiming to gain more comments or followers. My family's worth it. Besides, who doesn't like hearing stories of "back when"? I was reminded of this when my grandmother presented me a book over the holidays, of information and stories about my family, including her childhood, her courtship with my grandfather, etc. Many of these things I didn't know (she and my grandfather were engaged after TWO dates--when ya know, ya know, right) and it was wonderful to have them documented.
So....that's my goal. NOT a resolution....but a goal. No time lines, post count requirements, or pressure for comments. Just pure, unadulterated memories.
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