So...been thinking about blogging

Some of the people I admire and respect the most are private, thoughtful, and careful with their words. They bare challenges with grace and faith, and share accomplishments and joys with humility and gratitude. I think I am not this way.

At a recent forum/discussion on facebook and blogging, the thought was presented that perhaps we, as a society, are losing our filters. We no longer know what is appropriate and inappropriate to share. With a loaded keyboard at our fingertips and no face at the other end of our words, we find ourselves saying things online that we would never say in person - about others and about ourselves.

I have been thinking about this a lot.

Blogging is an interesting beast. It serves as a creative outlet; a community to share your common interests, excitements, dreams, goals, and accomplishments; a blank slate in which to document the things you never want to forget; a secret corner of the internet where you can share your deepest darkest secrets; a place where you can just be whatever and whoever you want to be. This is a wonderful thing. This is a dangerous thing.

A blog can be a journal. It can be a scapbook. It can be a best friend. It can be a business. It can just be. But whatever it is, it is not private. Even private blogs are not private (unless, of course, you do not invite anyone to read your blog). I think sometimes I forget this. I think I don't ever want to forget this again.

Yes, I try to be as open and honest as I can on this blog. No, I do not post everything I'm thinking or everything that's going on in my life. Even though I may want to, I don't. For that, I have a closed and bound journal, stashed discreetly beside my bed.

I try to keep it positive over here at So Buttons. I try to filter out things that nobody really wants or needs to know. Sometimes I am good at this. Sometimes I am not. Believe me, I have my share of challenges and struggles. I have bad days and I have days when I just want to complain or vent about this or that. I sometimes say really stupid things. I am a person who likes to talk. I am a person who likes to share. Everything. I try to keep most things to myself or share only with my closest circle of friends and family. I try.

Sometimes I am good at this.
Sometimes I am not.

However blogging serves you in your life, I keep coming to the same conclusion - for me it is good. I have a love/hate, on/off relationship with blogging, but I've realized that as long as I'm blogging for positive reasons, it will have a positive affect on my life.

The trick is to keep remembering why I choose to blog. For me.