Thursday, August 28, 2014

Back when blogspot was a thing
(or how blogging makes me happier)

I can't remember what I was reading last week but it gave me a moment's pause when it said "back when blogspot was a thing." At first I thought but wait, blogspot is still a thing!  But just as fast I had to concede that there was a moment when blogging was all the rage, and that moment has definitely passed.  I have a long list of blogs on my sidebar that I once read but now haven't been updated in years.  That's OK--different seasons call for or allow different things.  Different media work for different people.  I think that many people transitioned from blogging to facebooking which is easier with a smart phone and much quicker.  I think that some people moved into busier seasons of their lives.  I think some people were trying it out and it just really wasn't their thing.

One of the things that I do regret about the shift in social platforms is the decrease in comments.  Not that I ever had a ton of comments but I at least had some idea of who was reading my blog.  These days comments are down everywhere and practically nonexistent here.  It's not that I need comments, I'm not writing for comments.  But I do miss the interaction.  (Because I'm all about interaction.)

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Oddly I had already been thinking about this for the last couple of weeks when I came upon this quote in the reader's digest:

"Intentionally feeling positive experiences longer helps them sink in,
which can help you become happier and more resilient."

As I read this statement I realized that this is what blogging does for me.  Since I started blogging 6 years ago I have seen the world through blogging eyes.  Knowing that I want to blog about our family experiences, my experiences, and the things I'm thinking about, I pay so much more attention to the details than I used to.  I keep track of things that are interesting or funny or awful.  I notice more.  Blogging doesn't change how I live my life, but it changes my awareness of my life. 

Jason touches the water to experience the waterfall hike
with more of his senses.  Feeling intentionally.


In a similar way taking pictures changes how I see my life.  Having a camera in my purse means that I see the world with more scrutiny.  I notice things that are beautiful, things that are interesting, colors, shapes, light.  I see so much more than I would without a camera.

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Blogspot may not be a thing anymore, but it is certainly still a thing to me.  What's more, thanks to the magic of online publishing website like blurb our family is going to be appreciating blogspot for years to come...

Just think... One day a grandchild will say "grandma sure had a lot to say, didn't she?" And my kids will say "Why yes, she did.  And saying it made her life a whole lot happier."

2 comments:

  1. Heres a comment! :) Comments are a rare treat arnt they? I should comment more often. I always appreciate your comments on my blog Cindy! I love blogging, it is so much easier than scrapbooking! Less messy, more organized, takes up less space. Sam and I stay up late looking through all our pictures on the blog all the time. If the internet blows up I will be so sad! I really need to print it into a book one of these days months years...

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