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Why Do I Blog?

JackieP

womentea

 

Last night my husband and I had a visit from his brother and his wife. Now I haven’t seen them for about 4 years. We used to see them quite a lot, but then something happened and the SIL (sister-in-law) got miffed and they stopped visiting and calling.

No big deal to me. Now that my husband is disabled and severely limited in what he can do, we’ve noticed an upswing is sibling visits. I guess they figure he might die any day, so they want to be able to say they saw him before he died.

It’s sad to me, that it took a health crisis for his siblings to come see him. Now I know, some of you will say the road goes both ways, and you would be right. It does. My husband was never one for visiting, especially when all his siblings lived out-of-town. The reasons we didn’t visit are varied, so I won’t bore you with that.

The main reason for this post is my SIL and I were talking and she asked me what I was doing with myself these days. I told her, taking care of the husband, and blogging.

Her reaction? “What’s that?”

Now how do you describe blogging to a non-blogger, or one who is only on the internet to play games on Facebook? I don’t know how any of you do it, but I gave her this description.

Blogging is like an online journal. It’s where you write stories, fiction or non-fiction. You write about whatever comes to mind. You write about what you want to write about. Or post photos, or a rant, or just write to write.

Her reaction? “Why?!!”

That gave me pause. Why indeed? Why do I blog? Why do any of us blog? To see our words out there and appreciated is one, I mean, who doesn’t enjoy others reading what they write and hitting that ‘like’ button. I know it still gives me a bit of a thrill, even after more than two years of blogging. I love it when you guys hit ‘like’, or even better leave a comment!

But, how do you get that across to a non-blogging, non-writer?

So many thoughts rushed through my mind. Thankfully, before I could try to explain, she went on to some other subject. That’s one nice thing about having a conversation between an introvert (myself) and an extrovert (SIL), pause a few seconds and she’s talking about something else.

Don’t get me wrong, I like all my in-laws, they are for the most part good people. They have busy lives with kids and grandkids, jobs, etc. We had busy lives too, my husband worked shift work, so every week was different. Now that he is disabled and almost bedridden, the dynamics have changed. Between him and me and between him and his siblings. It happens.

The question of why do I blog still lingered in the back of my mind this morning as I drank my first cup of coffee. I’m still not sure if I could explain to my SIL the pleasure I get from doing it. From writing my blog posts, to visiting, commenting, liking and the interaction between me and my blogging friends.

The short answer I could have given her was, it gives me great satisfaction and pleasure. The long answer would be this rambling post that I just wrote. 🙂

 

Yes I am!
Yes I am!

Why do YOU blog? How would you have answered my SIL?

 

 

 

31 thoughts on “Why Do I Blog?”

  1. I may have been tempted to ask what rock she has been living under, but I don’t know, maybe she legitimately has a reason to have never heard of a blog.

    Seriously, for me it’s an online journal and way to try to reach others who may deal with the things I do so that I know I am not alone in my struggles. I haven’t found a lot of people in my situation, but the friends that come along for whatever reason more than make up for that. Better, even 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. you would have to meet my SIL to understand, if it has nothing to do with her personally she isn’t interested.

      I think with your blog you have helped or at least let people that have eating disorders know they aren’t alone, and that’s something. As for friends on here, yeah I do understand that one. 🙂

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  2. I read somewhere, and of course I blogged about it, that writers had a leg up on non writers. It seems that voicing our concerns, news, random thoughts, bits of fiction etc, is healthy. I think we inherently know that because even penning this comment gives me a little rush of euphoria. It’s a good feeling.

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    1. I believe that writers have a leg up on non writers. I think too that even if a lot of us have mental or health issues, we are better off blogging about it, getting our thoughts out, our feelings out, knowing someone at some point will read our words and understand our feelings. Yeah, its also that feeling of euphoria that goes with it all. Thanks Dawn for your input. 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  3. For me writing is cathartic, it’s a way of coming to terms with my feelings, once I can accept them and write about them I am able to let go a lot easier. Blogging has
    opened me up to a whole world of wonderful writers and bloggers, people I now consider dear friends from all over the world.

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    1. Writing can be that way for me also, cathartic. No one else around here listens to me, so I write it down, as some of my blogging friends will understand and listen. 🙂 Thanks for commenting!

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Its the intellectual challenge the opportunity to keep my brain active that excites me. Some people ask that question but don’t have the where withall to listen to nor understand the answer.

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    1. True, but then I have found those that don’t have the where withall, as you put it to listen, don’t usually listen to much of what I say. 😉

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  8. I too love blogging:) Some thought comes to mind and I like to express it and I do, and it gives satisfaction to post it and it is nice to share what I have written but it is mostly for myself but it even more satisfying when others like it:)

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  9. I always find it difficult to explain blogging to non-bloggers, well generally, unlike your SiL, they’ve actually heard of blogging and basically know what it is, but trying to explain what I blog about and why is always tricky!

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  10. That’s why I started journaling. No one heard me. I was invisible. You nailed the reasons perfectly. It’s healthy and creative. I get a tickle everytime I visit some blogs and love to make others laugh too. I have lots of people like your SIL in life. I feel sorry for them. They don’t know what they are missing. The outpouring of kindness and caring is a feast each day. I started blogging to see if I could find some one who knew how I could heal from Bells. What I found was a different kind of healing.

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    1. A different kind of healing. That statement says it all. I found that myself. I found people with like interests that would actually listen to what I said. It was refreshing. Thanks Marlene for being on of those great people. ❤

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  11. Remember what we both said 2 years ago? That we blogged because we wanted to learn to write better. I still do. And blogging has also encouraged my new hobby, photography. But best of all are the interactions we have with each other in this blogging world. Hugs to you my friend.

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    1. For me there is always room for improvement in my writing. So yes I still want to blog to learn to write better and I think we both are doing that. The bonus is friendships such as you and I. Hugs to you also my friend.

      Liked by 1 person

  12. I blog because it helps me to feel I’m not alone in being the weird one. I had no idea when I started how much I would get out of it and the connections I would feel with people I have never met.

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  13. Pingback: In Search of the Handbasket | insearchofitall

  14. Everything you said is true and valid! Blogging – and writing for that matter – is a way to understand yourself better and externalize all those emotions you have locked-up. And its great to receive the support from a community that shares the same passion, right? 😉

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  15. Hi Jackie! Sorry I haven’t stopped by in a while, I’ve been super busy!

    I would say a blog is like an online portfolio. It could be anything from a diary (of sorts) to a place to share knowledge!

    As for why I blog, it’s because it helps me to improve my writing, and because I love to write!

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    1. Hi Liam! So nice to see you here!

      That’s pretty much my reason for blogging, I love writing and always want to improve.
      I love your defination. Thank you

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