Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Back peddling

I've been thinking about this whole love/hate relationship I have with my life. Reading all of your responses to my last post has had me thinking for the past few days. Kim's comment that we all have brown patches on our grass is right on. Many of you (Brianne, Angela, Amy, Lenessa) pointed out that you write about the happier things on your blog in an effort to help yourself be more optimistic, focus on the positives, and not come across as a jerk. Great points!

I decided to look back at my own posts, and I realize that I am a hypocrite. I write about happy things the majority of the time. I write about trips we take (as though life is one great vacation, and as though we don't have to jump over any hurdles to get there), shoes I buy (as though my life is one long shopping trip), projects I complete (when I don't mention the great number of projects that I never see through to the end)... The things I write about here do not necessarily represent my real life, and it might make it all look more glamorous than it is.

But, on the flip side, who wants to read me drone on and on about how I came home from work discouraged, tired and cold? Or how annoyed I got that the World Series got in the way of watching my television shows? And what kind of person would my readers all think I was if I wrote about the "negatives" in my life which seem to outweigh the positives (as measured by my distorted perception)? And I'll be honest that I can't be completely honest on a blog that anyone could read. I wouldn't want to hurt anyone inadvertently. My blog is not a tool of destruction. (And on that note, I'm sorry if I've hurt anyone with my rants and strong opinions and such.)

So I filter my thoughts, our activities, and post the happier ones.

One other thought I have about this is that I know I'm blessed. I know I've been given many great things. And I know that I truly have little to complain about in my life. Logically, I know all this. When I take a step back and look at things objectively, do a little comparison of how things have been, of how things could be...

I find it difficult to look at my life objectively. I'm too vested in it. I'm too focused on making it better, that I forget to stop and say, "Yeah, it's pretty good."
So I'm going to work on that. This discussion has made me realize that I really do focus on the negative and that I have a lot to learn from my friends.

So, in conclusion, I'm a hypocrite. And I'm back peddling. And I love you all for your thought-provoking responses.

Shoes of the day will return soon.

7 comments:

  1. I often feel guilty because I have more than most people, in most ways, and all I see a lot of the time is all of the things that I want to have next. We're just people. I think if we didn't do that we'd never accomplish anything, we'd just sit around and bask/fester.

    I did start, at one point, a blog rant about Fox pre-empting all of my favorite shows, and especially pulling Dollhouse for the entire. month. of. November. But I didn't post it because it contained a number of errors, both spelling and factual, and spell check is such a pain sometimes.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Shannon, you have to know how much I love you! You are wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm with you and Shannon, I cannot believe the stupid Yankees and Phillies got in the way of Glee. It was almost devastating.
    Anyhow, I love your posts. I love how you write. I want us to get together and create a post much like the Pioneer woman's post where thousands of people read it and we make thousands of dollars. But first I just have to come up with that one brilliant idea...hmmm...xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  4. Woot woot! I believe I am the exact same way. I love that we're all snarky. Snarky people make me smile and I do wish I was braver sometimes on the blog, oh well! Loves! And I totally second the boo World Series pre-empting glee, what is that about? Lame.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm #5 on your last post... My blog is my picture journal, and most of the time I don't take pictures of the stuff I don't want to remember, so what you see is the stuff I do want to remember. That being said though, I have several pictures waiting to be posted that show the "dark side", or rather the true everyday side of life. We'll see when I get around to posting it. And I have to tell you, that I really look forward to your posts. First, because it's you, and you were one of the best roommates in the apt... and second, because I just really enjoy reading what you have to say. It makes me smile. I like you Gordita.

    ReplyDelete
  6. okay. I may be a little of #4 too...

    ReplyDelete
  7. I've been so caught up in the "less desirable details" of my life that I have been slacking on reading the blogs I love - and I feel like I missed out on a great discussion! I am definitely #5. I hate many aspects of my life much of the time. E.g. I hate the fact that I have to work full-time instead of being with Zoey BUT if I were home full-time with Zoey I know I would be looking at those who work and longing for that, too. The truth of the matter is, for me, that I don't want Zoey to look back at my blog or scrapbook or journal in 20 years and think that I was always unhappy and possible think it was her fault. So, yes, we try to focus on the bigger picture, but don't think for a second it is always rose-colored here in PA.

    ReplyDelete

Tell me something good.