The worth of a blog....

Today, as I was sitting at a table at my cousin's wedding reception, eating different kinds of cheeses and crackers and enjoying the delicious punch, the subject of blogs came up. I have to admit that when my sisters and mom and I get together, that topic comes up quite frequently, we are all professed addicts. Anyways, I can't remember why Diana and I started talking about them, but David was in between us and, of course, had to put in his two cents.



Now David is a very supportive husband of most of my endeavors. He looks at the pictures that I take; he doesn't complain when I practice the piano, even though it's in the same room as our tv; he happily watches Mason so I can persue my love of running; and he attends the many family gatherings that my family has and enjoys them!

But my recent hobby of blogging/facebook is not something that he has caught the vision of, yet. So, of course, when Diana and I started telling each other that it's been awhile since the other one had put up a post, and that we were getting tired of checking the blog every day with no update, David had to say something. He said something to the effect that I spend too much time on the computer and he always sees me looking at people's pages that I don't know.

Well, that is partly true, sometimes I do look at people's page with whom the only connection that I have is that their friend wrote a comment on my old roommate's cousin's page. I have been trying to make an effort recently to not surf so much, and just concentrate on people that I know directly. Somehow that has expanded to include a variety of people that are only "once removed" from me, whom I have come to know and enjoy reading about, even though I'm sure that they have no idea who I am.

Anyways, David's comments led me to return to the post that I have mentally been composing for the last couple weeks or so:

I've just been thinking about how grateful I am for technology, and the ability that it has given us to stay in touch. My mom often mentions that she is jealous that we have email and blogs to keep in touch with people that once were a big presence in our lives, but because of distance, we no longer get to see very often, if at all. I think about it, and I agree, if I had to rely on "real" letters and phone calls, I definitely would have lost touch with many people already. I haven't even sent out any Christmas cards yet!

Even with the ease of email, the correspondences have become less and less frequent. Then, I discovered blogging. Now, I feel much more in touch with so many more people who are so important to me.

Because of blogs, digital photography and email, I am not only able to hear about the antics of my old roommates' children, but I get to see the pictures of their mischieviousness. I get to read about the lives of friends that still live close, but not as close, and remember that it's time to arrange a get together. I am reminded about how much I enjoy old mission companions' and roommates' wit and outlook on life. I get to see pictures and get to read about the milestones of my cousin's baby, whom I would otherwise only get to see about once a year very briefly. I even get a front row seat in the adventures of my sister's first few months of marriage, and get to laugh about and marvel at the things that my nieces and nephews do that might not make it into my conversations with my other sister.

As I mentioned, besides peeking into my friends' lives, I am also slowly adding a list of perfect strangers to my list of blogs to check. I find encouragement through reading about other people's struggles and views, it validates some of my own struggles and thoughts as well.

Through the pictures and stories, I feel like I am once again apart of these people's lives who are so dear to me. I find myself thinking about them throughout the course of the day and wondering how things are going for them. This correspondence has made my life richer as I've remembered the great blessings of friendship and love that I have enjoyed in my life.

So...what is the conclusion of this long and rambling post? Despite what my wonderful husband thinks, there is value to blogging and I'm not about to quit!