Eclectic, quirky, and sometimes edgy…this is how things look from my front porch.




Thursday, June 2, 2011

On Blogging Perfection

Last week I read an honest and poignant account of a fellow blogger’s marriage unraveling.    I had stumbled upon this blog the way you do, when you head over to a well-known old friend in the blogging world and look to see who they link to.   Brenda’s blog is called “Cozy Little House” and can be found here:  http://cozylittlehouse.blogspot.com/

In the few months that I had been reading, I grew envious of the gorgeous pics and inspired prose which Brenda used.  Her talent is light years ahead of mine.  My heart almost hurt when I saw her gifting in this area.  Not that I didn’t want it for her, but that I wanted more of it for me.  So I was stunned to read, outlined in spare words and no direct statements, much as sketch artist renders a likeness with a few well-chosen strokes, her sad discovery. My heart ached for her.  Her two blog entries entitled “The Truth” and “When the Ship is Sinking Fast” just knocked me over.
This blogging world has given people who might never have found a niche in the traditional publishing world a forum for thoughts and images which bless others in profound ways.  I think of the marvelous work of Kim’s Daisy Cottage Blog deardaisycottage.typepad.com which has led to published writing. 

I also think of my dear blog friends Debra @ As I See It Now debrasotherthoughts.blogspot.com and Judy  @ Anybody Home judyh58.blogspot.com.  Both are essentially shy women who stay busy at home blessing their families outside of the traditional work world.  With the incredible intimacy, immediacy, and access of blogging, their thoughts, humor, and dreams ripple out like dropped polished stones into this Internet lake, encouraging others through the waves and eddies their words ride upon until they reach some very distant shores.

All that being said, all of us who blog share only a portion of our truth with the rest of the world.  That’s entirely appropriate.  We choose to keep many heartaches private.  Some of the day to day routine is just boring.  For instance, I stepped in dog poop this morning, but that’s kind of gross to talk about.  I had a stir fry for lunch, but who cares?  I’m having eye surgery next week and even I am bored with all of it, never mind anyone else.

Bottom line?  We can’t all be Daisy Cottage Kim.  I can’t be my beloved Debra whose depth often amazes me.  I’m not as funny or quite as quirky (almost but not quite) as Judy.  My pics aren’t as good as Brenda’s at Cozy Little House.    God
called me to be the best Annie I can be, not the best Judy. 

So I’ve resolved to simply admire beautiful blogs, but not envy them.  Our blogs are extensions of ourselves, but not our entire truth.  We never know what lies beneath.  And I tip my metaphoric hat for Brenda’s courage in telling her truth as best as she was able.