When I started this blog in 2009, my daughter was just a baby. I knew I wanted to have something on the web that was my own, a place to share and write and connect with others. But that’s about all I knew.
This blog is hardly a journal, although I love to share snippits of our life from time to time. But my own inability to share in great detail (names and photos of the kids are always withheld) and let my readers into more intimate parts of my life leave this blog with a bit of a wall. It’s a wall that I chip away at each month I’m in this space, and a wall that I’m comfortable with because I know it’s there. I don’t trip over it much, haven’t recognized it’s importance in my own life.
None the less, I can’t help but find myself envious of those who have beautifully written journal type blogs where memories come to life with photos and words. I know I can’t be envious of choice (it’s my choice to not fully share on this blog) but I’ve come to realize I made one huge mistake when starting to blog – and really that mistake was simply not starting soon enough, and not doing one for just myself.
When my son was born five and a half years ago, I read blogs non stop. I was insatiable (I truly believe that reading helps writing) but I never felt ready to do it myself.
I took the first step in 2007 when I actually started a blog, and left it abandoned. It wasn’t called A Little Bit of Momsense, and I can say that I spent a long time coming up with blog names.
My hesitation to create something, anything, that was a piece of me, stunted my ability to just write, and more importantly record.
Instead of having many little stories about when my children were little blogged somewhere, I have wonderful memories and pictures without the words – but what I wouldn’t give to have had a journal (even hand written!)
So my message for you? Start a blog.
Treat it as much of a journal as you would like. You don’t have to publicly publish it even. But record.
Write the stories. Share your thoughts. Put them somewhere. You can have a wordpress account and keep posts in draft form, or in some private state. Or maybe you are braver than I am and are willing to share with family, friends and others online.
And you don’t have to have children to be a story teller. Start one about your favourite hobby, or travels, or whatever makes you happy.
Because no matter how happy this blog makes me, it’s nothing compared to those special stories and memories that I hold so dear. Even though I only share a small amount here, I’m happy to have something.
And yes, even though they aren’t all written down, those memories aren’t any less special. But I’d love to have some words to go with my pictures.
