Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Why I blog


This is Mom and my baby, Wendy in early 1986.


Several years ago, I was looking for pictures of my mother so I could put something together for my dad and my brothers and sisters. There weren't many pictures. Not long after that, I came across a grocery list she had written and realized that it was one of the few things I owned that she had written.

As I thought about it, I grieved in the knowledge that my mother left only memories behind. That is fine for those of us who knew her and spent time with her, but I know others who wish they knew her. Since she died, I adopted two more kids. My brother married and has two little girls and another on the way. My third and fourth grandchildren will be born later this year. When Mom died, she had eight grandchildren. Soon there will be 13 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. Those who were very young or added after she went to Heaven will only have second-hand memories.

I decided to blog so that my children, my grandchildren, and even my great grandchildren can know me through the words I left behind.

Many of those who read my blog now, though, are the special blessings I didn't expect. I have met so many friends and received so many emails from those who found their way to my little spot.

Because of the intent of my blog, and these unexpected blessings I've really prayed about the subjects I write about. For instance, I have some very strong political opinions. However, I don't usually express those here. Those opinions are a part of who I am, but the medium of the Internet is limited, and I want to avoid misunderstanding. More important than my political views is my moral position. It is far more important that I pass on my relationship with God than that I express my conservatism.

Epilogue: Last summer I went to visit my family. Right before we left, my brother walked up and handed me a box. He had found the contents when moving out of what had been my parent's home. He didn't want them and maybe I did. Inside, I discovered a treasure. My mother had saved the letters that she and my Daddy had written back and forth. There were even some letters my mom had received from friends when she was as young as 12. Now I have so much more than a scribbled grocery list and I am so glad.

2 comments:

Deborah said...

Oh what a treasure you have! My parents lived far apart during their courtship, so communicated by letters. as a young girl, I sometimes snuck a peak at these letters, and waited for the day I could read them all. As we were planning for my parents 50th anniversary, I asked about those letters....they told me they had burned them! I was shocked and so disappointed to know I would never get to read them.
I love your reason for blogging...it's the same reason I wrote my book...it doesn't matter if no one else reads it...it will be something for my kids and grandkids when I'm gone.

Little Lady Cakes said...

This is a wonderful reason to blog.