Why do you blog?

Today I want to open the floor, so to speak, to all my bloggy friends.

I want to know a few things:Why do you blog?How did you get started blogging?What has been the benefit of blogging in your life?What have been the best parts of your blogging experience?Have there been any bad parts of blogging?You can answer these questions here or write a separate post and then come back and let me know.

I started thinking about these questions as they pertain to my life in the last few weeks because I had become very wrapped up in social media while trying to promote my books and I started to hate it. I hated it because I missed blogging. I missed sharing with my “followers” here. I don’t like the term followers because many of you have become my friends – friends I don’t see or talk to in person most of the time (with a couple of exceptions) but friends, nonetheless.

Many of the people I have met while blogging have prayed for me, checked on me, encouraged me, and sometimes even gently corrected me.

There have been recent seasons in my life that I don’t think I would have survived without my blog friends.

I truly am feeling choked up as I write this.

What a blessing it has been to connect with bloggers in my “real life” (not that blogging isn’t real life). I never imagined I would be able to call my readers my friends – such as Facebook friends but also real friends.

So to answer my own questions:

I started blogging because I enjoy writing and my brother was blogging so I started to keep one too. My first blog was called the same as this one, Boondock Ramblings, and it was what was called a “mommy blog” because I blogged mainly about my son.

I blogged back then to connect with other moms and share stories (both funny and stressful) and simply to have a creative outlet. Today I still blog for the creative outlet and to connect with others.

The benefit of blogging is that it has allowed me to connect with other people who have encouraged me and supported me and laughed and cried with me.

It has also been something I can do other than sit and worry about my problems or concerns.

Connection with the other bloggers has also encouraged me in my walk with Christ, or as a reader, or mom, or just a person.

Is there a downside to blogging? Sometimes. There have been times I’ve felt pressured to write something, even when I’m busy, but that’s more my problem than blogging’s problem and I luckily haven’t had that feeling in a while. There can sometimes be rude people who leave rude comments but that has very, very rarely happened to me.

There are times when bloggers can get into the comparison game and compare their lives to the lives of other bloggers. That’s a negative but something I have not done very often, luckily.

I’ve already mentioned the best part of blogging above but I will reiterate again that the best parts of blogging are meeting people, getting to know them, and forming friendships with people who have stumbled onto my blog for whatever reason.

For whatever reason you stopped on my blog – I thank you. I’m glad you’re here. I’m glad we have become friends. I’m thankful that God brought you here at just the right time in my – and your – life.

I hope you’ll stick around.