The thing about blogging is that it gives us each a chance to share a few moments of our day with our reader friends.
I love blogging when I get to tell about seeing the Royal family or when I learn a new recipe. I love blogging when, in all honesty, the writing is good and the stories are funny or tug on heart strings. I love blogging and reading blogs for an hour or so a day.
But that leaves another 23 hours.
The thing about blogging is that it is our real lives, it’s just not the FULLNESS of real life.
One of the finest humbling things ever said to me, when I once decided it was important to get a big head about blogging, was this: “If the internet ever dies, so does AnnieBlogs.”
And that is totally true.
AnnieBlogs isn’t ALL of me. I am Annie Downs. AnnieBlogs is a part of my life, not my life.
Annie Downs isn’t near as witty and perfect as an AnnieBlogs post. Real life doesn’t allow for edits or rewrites or the perfect picture to match every story.
Last night, I sat at dinner with some friends and mostly out of insecurities and worry, I started down a line of questioning with one kind Scottish girl that I should have never started. It led me to do this thing that I do where when I get uncomfortable and say the wrong thing, I JUST KEEP TALKING. It is a nightmare.
Apologies ensured.
But, see, I won’t blog about that. Not that I’m a dishonest bloggista, but I just don’t blog about every meal and I certainly don’t blog about every dumb thing I say [there is not enough space on the internet... let's just put it that way].
On the upside, Annie Downs is way more well-rounded than AnnieBlogs. Annie Downs loves to listen and laugh at your jokes [not just hope that you laugh at hers]. Annie Downs has a history before November 2006, when AnnieBlogs was born. Annie Downs brushes her teeth and does laundry and makes mistakes and gets hurt and eats an orange… all in one day.
The thing about blogging is that it isn’t LIVING.
But here is what blogging is, to me. Blogging is a beautiful outlet for writing and connecting, encouraging and learning. I am super SUPER grateful for the friends, many of these (in)courage women included, that this medium has brought me and how they have affected my life.
In fact, more than I love reading the blogs of Emily Freeman, I love sitting at the table with her.
More than I love seeing the pictures of Sarah Markley‘s kids, I love playing with them in the sand.
More than I love reading (in)courage posts [and trust me I do], I love going to the beach with the (in)courage girls, when there are hours that computers aren’t touched and phones are put away. Feet dangle in the pool and stories are told and laughs are matched with tears.
This photo above, captured by our own marvelous Dawn Camp, reminds me of the best things about real life friends. Imperfect but dear. Thirsty. Funny. Hungry. Real. Human.
And that’s the thing about blogging. It introduces you to people that you might not have known otherwise and gives you a chance to make real life friends that are priceless.
{Have you registered for (in)courage (in)real life yet?}
[Dear (in)courage sisters, I love you.]
by Annie Downs // AnnieBlogs
ABOUT ANNIE DOWNS
Annie Downs is a freelance writer in Nashville, Tennessee. Flawed but funny, she uses her writing to highlight the everyday goodness of our great God. Annie has been telling stories her whole...
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so important not to get wrapped up in the followers, the comments, thinking in blog posts….thanks for the reminder, annieblogs!
what a great post and a great reminder. thanks!!!
Great post! We must blog because we love it, not because it what defines us, or for the approval we hope for in a comment form. Thanks for the reminder!
Annie, thanks for putting it all in perspective…I’ve already registered for the (in)RL and simply can’t wait to connect in a “real way” with all of you girls and others around the world…
So true. But I think all of life is like that in some ways. When I’m cheering my kid on at her game, that’s a part of who I am. When I’m working on a story, that’s another part. When I’m directing, that’s part of who I am too. The sum total of who we are exists in bits and pieces. It’s comforting to know that no matter what part of me is most up front, all of me is always welcome with Christ.
“Real life doesn’t allow for edits or rewrites or the perfect picture to match every story.” So true. Blogs tend to present a more polished version of ourselves. Even as we share the ugly truth. Thanks for your words.
I really appreciated what you said about blogging not being WHO you are – that your life is about so much more than blogging. I forget this at times, especially since blogging is both my creative outlet AND my job. Thank you for the reminder to live offline, too!
Oh, Annie. I love and miss you. This was just perfect. So true.
Anne,
How sooo very very true. The internet allows you to meet some interesting people you might never have known. It also allows you to pray for them and connect on some level.
Since joining this and Emmaus Walk on-line communities–I feel I have grown more spiritually, and had the priviledge to pray for others & their circumstances. For that I am truly thankful!
I like how you put that…..real life doesn’t allow edits and rewrites.
How often do we convince ourselves that looking perfect on our blog really matters?
Signed
Trying to always be real (ON MY BLOG too) :)
Lovely post. I think the real living is required to make a blog interesting… it’s the real-life experiences and wisdom that are then conveyed in the blog that readers can connect to.
How many times do we validate ourselves by the things we do, blogs included, rather than whose we are? I love blogging and the ministry that is blogging! But that’s not all there is to this girl! :)
*sorry that wasn’t suppose to be anonymous* How many times do we validate ourselves by the things we do, blogs included, rather than whose we are? I love blogging and the ministry that is blogging! But that’s not all there is to this girl! :)
I am so very thankful to know (and love) both AnnieBlogs and Annie Downs. Also, please know that in your absence last week, I made sure to have that sort of awkward moment where I kept talking and saying more stupid, that’s-not-what-I-meant things until – I kid you not – people were screaming with laughter and saying, “Stop! Just stop, Mary! Don’t say another word!”
It’s possible they were laughing with me. But, um, well… :)
I was just recently asked why I blog. Don’t I get embarrassed by what I put out there? Am I not concerned with who might read it? What they might think? The lady I was speaking to had started a blog but felt hesitant to put anything out there “for all to see”.
For me, blogging is an outlet. I’m doing the writing anyway (often on paper before I type it up) – by putting it out in the world, maybe someone, somewhere will identify and be encouraged – by reading what others say I’m encouraged by knowing I’m not alone.
Thanks for assuring me, though, that I’m still a blogger even if I don’t blog every day, or read blogs every day – even though blogging isn’t my life :)
Oh so eloquent and so PERFECTLY said! I resonate with it all.
I agree with you. Blogging is not life, but it captures mere glances.
What a good reminder. I love writing and I enjoy reading other blogs, but I also live outside the screen. And I know others do, too. That’s one of the reasons I do enjoy blogging – getting to hopefully meet some of these wonderful women outside the screen.
Sometimes I worry people read my blog and think I am the super stay-at-home mom and do cool crafts with my kids and I’m amazing in the kitchen. The thing is I have loved writing since I was 7, I love to connect with others, and help others share their stories. My blog is a way I can process these things and writing is an expression. I think people use other mediums (like music, arts, sports, etc.) to express themselves. And I do the “keep talking” thing too!!!
Love AnnieBlogs. And even more I love Annie Downs. Thanks for being my friend. And laughing at my jokes. And eating Chipotle with me.
Sooooo right on…love it and love your heart to keep it real for all of us!
Praying for you, Annie, as you pursue and live-out God’s will for your life away from “home.” You sure do have a gift for word placement and word choice. Thank you for sharing your gift with us.
Love you, Annie. And that little chat we had at the beach? It was short, but it made my day. And it made me want to sit across the table for you with a cup of tea and all of your wonderful, beautiful goodness. You are a gift!
That’s why balance is so important. And yes, I have registered…I’m leading one in Prescott, AZ.
Beautiful and true Annie! It is just amazing how this thing called blogging can bring into our lives such special people that change us for the better!
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