Blogging withdrawal…
For some strange reason, it happened to me again - I could not access this blog from Saturday morning until now. I could go anywhere on the Net except anything connected with St.Blogs.com - I was just going to call in a tech this morning until I realized I could now access this blog. (BTW - if I’m missing for more than 12 hours, please check Abbey-Roads1 - I post there as well - and unlike here - I can always get in there.)
One person suggested the devil wants me off the blog. That would work for me if I thought I was writing anything really helpful to the Church - but that is not the case. I suggested Our Lord maybe wants me to curtail this activity. Another friend suggested it would be a great mortification to quit blogging. Yeah. Whatever.
Saturday morning I was thrown into a funk however. I really experienced a withdrawal of sorts. I thought this weblog thing must be a sickness. First I’m trying (AGAIN!) to quit smoking, and then this happens. OH! The humanity!
If I was on a desert island with no Internet connection and no means to write, would the world miss me? Would I miss the world? Would anything change? Would the course of things change? Is blogging important? I mean, is blogging important to anyone else but me? Is it an exercise in egoism? More pointedly, is there any purpose in blogging?
On Abbey1, I noted hardly any comments…I realized I kind of live for comments, especially one’s like, “Great post!,” “Spot on!”…anything affirming. I came to the conclusion that one cannot be humble and continue to blog. (See? I say “one” - not me though - maybe everyone else, but I simply cannot admit that “I” cannot be humble and continue to blog.
By Sunday, I felt a certain freedom - the sadness was gone - I had resigned myself to not being able to post. I happily putzed in the garden, took more time for reading, and prayer - I finished my retreat in real solitude. I looked in the mirror and noticed the big “L” on my forehead was not so distinct. I thought, “Wow! There is life outside the Internet!”
For what it is worth - I’m back.
May 14th, 2007 at 10:18 am
Well for what it’s worth, I’m glad you’re back AND I’m glad you had a decent retreat at home. I couldn’t stay at home & have a decent retreat. There are too many distractions.
May 14th, 2007 at 11:28 am
Terry - I find that blogging has somewhat the opposite effect on me, its good for humility as my readership is low and hardly anyone ever comments. I work hard on my posts and I recommend them to God and His Mother. I do enjoy your blog, don’t get discouraged. Pray for the gift of humility and God will find a way to grant it to you.
May 14th, 2007 at 1:53 pm
Welcome back. Good job. Spot on.
You do tend to think too much, however. Life is so much more comfortable and interesting when you don’t think about it.
May 15th, 2007 at 8:48 am
Maybe not being able to connect to St. Blog’s was just His way of getting you to finish your retreat with greater silence, Terry. But what does the big L on your forehead stand for? Luminous? Left-brained? Legendary?
May 15th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
I’m glad you’re back, Terry! I’ve often wondered the same things about blogging. I sometimes wonder how long I will do it for, and what it means to anyone but me. I guess it’s just a hobby, a way to put my thoughts down, when I can’t verbalize it to the people around me. They are mostly liberals, ya know. I think they have me pegged for a right wing, conservative nut, but they don’t say it out loud!
May 15th, 2007 at 7:52 pm
Terry,
Please stop thinking of stopping…