It seems that at some point in the life of every blog there’s a post about blogs in general, about bloggers and why they blog or, specifically, a post about that blog and its purpose.

I don’t know why we do it, but every now and then we do it – we feel the need to amplify our purpose or we feel compelled to justify or defend our writing.

I love words. I love writing. I write all the time.  I occasionally post a few of the things I’ve written.  I have journals full of notes.  I have folders full of messages.  I have a bunch of books in my head that will never be published.  More often than not, I don’t write about the stuff that’s really going on — because too many things include — I mean, most things include — other people. Duh.

If I’ve learned nothing else in the last eighteen months or so it is this:  other people’s lives are other people’s lives.  My interaction, my involvement, my thoughts or reactions or actions or feelings must stringently take into account: other people.   This seems pretty elementary, pretty obvious and pretty shallow at first blush.  But, I assure you: it is not.

We go along thinking things are one way or some way and we find out later that they’re not as we assumed at all.  This is where the “other people” part comes into play.  This is where the experience of other people, the thoughts of other people, the impressions of other people, the reactions of other people completely change whatever it is you thought or felt about a situation.  You hear about, read about what someone else said, thought or felt about a situation or thought or felt about you and suddenly a new reality dawns on you.   Sometimes that new reality is sweet and refreshing and feels good.  Other times it’s not.

And you can never write about it.  Even though you desperately want to.

I say this (this being an entry on blogs, blogging &  bloggers – writers in general) because, face it, those of us who have an insatiable need desire to write usually have a bunch of thoughts on pretty much anything and everything.  Most bloggers have so much to talk about.  And occasionally talk too much.  I probably could’ve or should’ve simply left out the ‘occasionally’ in that last sentence.

But we often don’t talk about stuff, we don’t write about stuff that we’d really like to talk about or write about because lots of things involve other people and it’s more important to guard their hearts (or identity), preserve their reputation or feelings than it is to share our own commentary on the matter.  Most of us have to learn to draw a line regarding public and private information — that, and in some situations, our opinion is not all that important.   Some people have a harder time discerning between the two and too often walk too close to the line.  Or over it.  Problem is, it’s really very hard to know where that line is sometimes.

Foodies have weight problems sometimes.  Wordies make weighty problems sometimes.

In trying to be careful what I share about personal matters, family, sensitive issues and experiences,  I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s been both a blessing and a curse to be the kind of woman who shares stories, draws word pictures, communicates in analogies, etc., etc.  But I’d seriously rather run the risk of being authentically candid and transparent than to be so vague or guarded that my life or writing is misconstrued or deceptive.  There’s so much to say, encouragement to give from lessons learned, praises to share from blessings received.

So… I blog. And this has been one of those confessions-of-a-blogger posts.  Sort of .   I try to be relevant so that your time’s not wasted, I try to be helpful so your time’s well spent.  I confess, though, I must occasionally skirt issues, dance around the pink elephant in the room or try desperately to convey a thought without divulging a confidence.  And I hope I get it right.  I hope more often than not that I communicate effectively.  When in doubt, I don’t write.  Or I delete.  The empty gaps on the blog calendar are not empty gaps in my life.  I write much more than you read.

But when you read The Welcome Home blog I guess I’d like you to know that I hope you feel like I’m just talking stuff over with you here in my kitchen.  In the end I hope this blog’s an encouragement to you – I hope my getting through stuff helps you get through stuff – I hope my hardships become your strengths and I hope my discoveries  add to your life.  More, I hope that you know you have a friend who is praying for you, prays you’ll be inspired to live for Jesus, wants the best for you and really is glad you’ve come by.  God bless you, and thanks for reading.