Why Blog?

This morning in the shower, I was thinking about why would a person blog? Why do you journal? Why do we have ppl to "unload" on. Does talking (or writing) about a problem change anything about that problem? Does it solve the problem? make it smaller? Don't we still have to deal with everything on our own?

I came to the realization, that it doesn't change the problem at all. It is still there. We still have to clean the house, make the supper, deal with disciplining our kids. But it does change US. When we express our thoughts and feelings, even to a blog or journal, then we get to see it from a different view-point. Even if no one ever comments on it, even if no one ever tells us what to do or gives us advice; by talking/writing, we get to see our problems, side by side with other problems.

Visualize this with me. Imagine your words coming out of your mouth, just as if you were typing them and they were being printed on a computer screen. Now imagine others' problems as words floating around beside your words. Use images if you prefer, your "problem picture" floating beside another person's "problem picture" just out there in the air, floating around ... We can then see just how large or small our problem is compared to others. I mean, really, is it such a bad thing for us to eat something for dinner that isn't our favorite, when there are other people down the street who aren't even eating at all? Does it really matter if we have a little hole or fray on our clothes when there are others who have no winter jacket in -5F weather? What about, is it really so hard to deal with 2 sick kids at home, when you know there are other moms sitting in hospital waiting rooms, waiting for their children to go through a surgery that can either kill them or save them?

What about hearing your kids complain about supper ? Can we think for a moment about those parents who have kids who never speak? How wonderful is the sound of other's voices when some can't hear? or are imprisoned in solitary confinement and can only hear their own voice and the vermin that share the cell with them.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that our everyday problems aren't problems. They are. But we can handle them. We will get through it, tomorow's another day and the sun will shine, and our kids will get well, they will like the meal we make tomorrow, and maybe we'll find a new shirt on the sale rack at Walmart.

My point being, when we hole up our problems inside, we can puff them up, we can make them to be mountains when they are really just bumps in the road. It's so very important for each of us to have an outlet. If you don't have a friend to talk to, or can't afford a counselor, then maybe you could journal ..on paper, or on a blog .. Find some way to express what you are feeling, express your thoughts, and help yourself to put life into it's proper perspective.
This is why I started this blog. I need to be able to put my feelings out there. Put my thoughts and emotions into words and see them for what they really are. sometimes they will be whiny, and sometimes they will be inspriational, and sometimes just plain dumb. But if I unloaded all this on my dh, it tends to make him upset and want to "fix everything"... and I dont' really want anyone to fix everything. OKaY, part of me does .. part of me wants that magic wand! But that wouldn't be healthy, that wouldn't be living life would it?

So I'm just putting these words out there, viewing them from this side of the screen, and seeing just what I should let go of, and what I need to hang on to.