about being aware, even online.
(Disclaimer: these thoughts are simply mine, take 'em or leave 'em)
I'm all about keepin' the blog happy and positive (mixed with some sarcasm and chuckle worthy stories here and there). I do this because of a simple fact: even though it's my blog, that doesn't mean that only I read it. I know that there are a lot of people who are nice enough to come read my posts and who care about what's going on in my life. This blog is an outlet for me, and I am so grateful for it -- But, keeping an un-private blog is like being in a big room, talking to all your friends. What you write can be seen and read by everyone as if you are speaking to them face to face. If you're not careful, feelings could get hurt or people could get the wrong idea. This might make bloggers feel 'restricted' in what they would like to write, but for me, I don't mind these 'restrictions' at all. It's just a sign of the times. I truly feel that online communication has just as many social rules that face to face communication has. We should be Christlike, kind, and loving with what we write just as we would be if we were talking to a girlfriend over some hot chocolate and donuts...(I'm kind of craving a donut right now). Does this mean that you can't express yourself on the blog? No, of course not (I mean, look at what I'm doing right now! ha). But I do believe that bloggers need to be aware of who might be reading their blog. I haven't been perfect at this by any means, but I want to become better.
I have been thinking about this a lot over the last six months (it started after I wrote a 14 pg. blogging research paper last April) and especially over the last month because I have been holding back from blog-venting. Venting is good, but sometimes it's not great. The past month has been the most physically difficult time of my life. I could write post, after post, after post, about how I can't sleep, can't walk, can't run, etc, etc, ... but I won't (well, I will in my personal journal, but not online). Why? The answer is easy..
I have several sweet, beautiful, and wonderful friends who read this blog who cannot conceive at this time, even though they want to more than anything in the world. I don't even have the slightest clue of the pain and heartache that they are going through, but I want to be sensitive and aware of them by not writing post after post about how incredibly hard being pregnant can be, when those who are going through fertility issues would give their right leg to have a sleepless night because their baby keeps kicking them in the ribs.
I am not ashamed of my excitement for the arrival of my sweet baby. It is a time of joy, love, excitement, and gratitude -- and those are the things I like to focus on, because hey, they are the most important things to think about anyways, right?
Well that's all for today from this lady. I'll do some sort of update after my homework gets done. Huzzah for school.
Jena out.
I have been thinking about this a lot over the last six months (it started after I wrote a 14 pg. blogging research paper last April) and especially over the last month because I have been holding back from blog-venting. Venting is good, but sometimes it's not great. The past month has been the most physically difficult time of my life. I could write post, after post, after post, about how I can't sleep, can't walk, can't run, etc, etc, ... but I won't (well, I will in my personal journal, but not online). Why? The answer is easy..
I have several sweet, beautiful, and wonderful friends who read this blog who cannot conceive at this time, even though they want to more than anything in the world. I don't even have the slightest clue of the pain and heartache that they are going through, but I want to be sensitive and aware of them by not writing post after post about how incredibly hard being pregnant can be, when those who are going through fertility issues would give their right leg to have a sleepless night because their baby keeps kicking them in the ribs.
I am not ashamed of my excitement for the arrival of my sweet baby. It is a time of joy, love, excitement, and gratitude -- and those are the things I like to focus on, because hey, they are the most important things to think about anyways, right?
Well that's all for today from this lady. I'll do some sort of update after my homework gets done. Huzzah for school.
Jena out.
4 lovely thoughts:
I think you should be able to complain, but I love the fact that you are extra considerate. Have you been reading Nie Nie's blog lately?? She got yelled at for complaining about being pregnant. I feel that it is your blog and you can say what you want, but is sure admirable to hold your tongue and think about others. You are the best example Jena!
Hey Jena,
You don't know me but Brooks and I kind of "grew up" in the same ward together. He would know me as (Melissa Esplin) I read your blog often (I hope that's okay) and I really enjoy it! so keep it up! :) I have had the same issue rolling around in my head for quite sometime now but didn't really know how to talk about it on my blog without offending people. I thought... oh i'll just try and do it myself and maybe others will notice. That hasn't exactly happened. But then I came across your post and thought you did it perfectly! The blogging world is changing and a lot of good women are representing themselves wrong and I don't think a lot of them are taking thought to the way the may be sounding. Anyway, I hope you don't mind but, I copy/pasted your blog entry to my blog and added some comments above it so I could share your entry with others hoping it would spark some good thoughts in trying to better ourselves.
Thanks again,
Melissa
I so agree, Jena!!! So many times I get so annoyed with the things people post on their blogs and/or facebook....you said tactfully what I want to say tackily. :)
first off, to the first commented, she didn't get, 'yelled at'. a reader simply stated their thoughts, however ill received they were. nie nie also retracted what she said and apologized.
jena, sweet jena.
reading this post was like a breath of fresh air. is pregnancy hard? you bet it is, and it's true, you can complain because, dude, HARD.
however, i am deeply touched by your words. of course it's hard sometimes to read all 300 blogs about my friends/acquaintances/whoevers that are pregnant/have kids/have a billion kids and how hard it is.
again, hard? hells yes. i have a two year old, and it's rough sometimes, but as a sterile 26 year old, who went through loss after loss and pain after pain to get my little boy via adoption...well, you see where i'm going.
you have such a wonderful soul.
thank you for sharing it.
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