THE REASON(s)
If you've been around this blog for a while, you might have noticed a shift in content. I originally used this blog as a venue to vent about my first (difficult) pregnancy. It kinda kept me sane that year.
Gradually, posts morphed into more of a diary of baby events. A chronicle of milestones and funny experiences. Then, for a while, I kind of quit blogging completely. Tsk. Tsk.
Lately, I've been inspired to do more with this blog than merely journal. Or vent. I'm tired of holding back. Tired of worrying about what people will think or whether I'll get nasty anonymous comments when I tell it like it is.
I'm done.
Not done blogging. Done being intimidated by potential reactions.
It is my blog, after all. My little slice of free speech. So I'm going to woman-up and write what I really think.
I don't claim to fully research all angles of every subject before I write. Yes, I have reasons for my opinions. Yes, I'll do my best to plot out my logic so that it makes sense. But no, I'm not going to pretend to be covering all possible sides of every topic. Just so you've been warned...
I write from the heart, from personal experiences, from candid observation. And no, I'm not going to promise to make it all pretty and fun. Sometimes the truth hurts. I think I learned that somewhere back around high school. If you're older than high school, hopefully you've figured that out too.
And in answer to the questions you're asking in your head:
- Yes, I'm a wife and mother. No, I don't have a PhD in child psychology. I think being a mom is qualification enough to have opinions about parenting, family, marriage, society and raising the next generation. I do, however, intentionally and continually self-educate by reading dozens of books, and not only those written from my personal point of view.
- Yes, lots of topics are about people I know. I do my best to protect the innocent (or the guilty) by not disclosing identifying factors. I know literally hundreds of potential subjects on multiple continents (think, 30+countries) - one of the little perks of having lived overseas and traveled internationally as a career. So if you think I'm writing about you, don't get all panicky. Odds are, somebody else out there has a situation just like yours.
- Yes, I have an education. Oh, and I also went to school for nearly 20 years, all the way through a Master's in International Development with an emphasis in Adult Curriculum. If you think that makes me more qualified to write opinionated stuff than you thought 10 seconds ago, so be it.
- Yes, I'm a person of faith. And yes, those morals and principles and concepts are pretty certain to sneak into my posts. Faith is a huge part of what defines who I am. But this blog isn't about that. This blog has everything to do with a desire to share meaningful, thought-provoking content with the world, and very little to do with my doctrinal persuasion.
- Yes, I happen to be a minister's wife. But this blog ain't about that, either. For that audience, I blog elsewhere, at a little place called CLUTCH. Totally separate venue. Always has been. Gonna stay that way.
- Yes, I like comments. Whether you agree with the post or not. Healthy debate is fabulous. But just so you know, any comment that stops sharing/contributing/participating and starts insulting/attacking/provoking is gonna get deleted. Same goes for vulgarity and otherwise offensive content. Repeat offenders get permanently banned. Anonymous comments will also be removed.
- Yes, you can share a few lines (not full posts) for educational or private purposes. But please have the integrity to always link back to this blog, and always cite the source. I promise to do the same whenever I quote somebody else, too. And if you need to publish a quote, or if it's for any reason not educational or private, please ask before you act.
