What's the purpose of blogging? (of life?)

Today I had the opportunity to read the shy beginnings of a friend's first blog which is off to an amazing start. I can't wait to feature her work once the site is ready to run, and most important, I can't wait to read more.

After reading her blog, I had an epiphany. It was quite obvious.

I realized that a really good blog serves a really good purpose. Whether or not the purpose is really good is determined by the writer and the reader. On the writer's behalf the purpose must fufill some sort of itch within. For the reader, the blog's purpose must also fit within some sort of niche and stand out among the long list of potential blogs a reader may choose to enjoy along with their morning cup of coffee.

Whether or not the purpose is recognized by its author, all blogs serve some sort of a purpose. The purpose may be to inform about a particular topic, it may be to persuade or it may be to induce action. Maybe it is about getting a grant for an organization. The blog might just be something that the writer wants to do because of a personal motive. Maybe it is not about readership but about writing poetry. Or perhaps it is more of journal, a way to record personal events in order to share with friends and family abroad. The list goes on.

Regardless of the purpose behind a blog, it seems that occassional "purpose check-ins" are helpful to have to keep one focused. In today's day and age, its quite easy to forget where you are going and why. In that sense, defining the purpose of a blog is similar to fine tuning one's life purpose.

At each moment in our lives we walk with a different purpose. While it shifts and changes from time to time, the importance of sitting back and reflecting on where you've been and where you want to be is necessary in order to be aware of what is important to you and what you want to be doing.

Recently I was asked to be a guest blogger by my friend Katie. Her blog, Hotdish & Catfish, was a result of two kindred spirits finding themselves separated by states. Their blog started in order to share "good stories and unique observations of life north (Katie) and south (Lauren) of the Mason Dixon" (as pulled from their About tab).

This request, led me again to note the necessity of having a purpose in my blog (and in my life). For a moment, I pondered what it was I could write about, and I realized I had forgotten what my blog was about...I recognized that if someone asked me what my blog was about, I would have to stutter for a moment, because, well, it's about a lot of stuff and I can't really put my finger on it in a one word sort of answer.

Well, then I looked at my blog page and saw that I wrote "This is a blog about life."

Life.

Wow. Now that's one hell of a "one word" descriptor for my posts and purpose. Oh yeah, "Wake up it's your life." It's all faintly coming back to me.

This realization has led me again to ponder my purpose here (both in the blogosphere and in real life). I started this blog almost 3 years ago, and I think it's time to have a "purpose check-in" to re-evaluate why I am here and what I want to accomplish with this blog.

So to the few of you reading, stay tuned for future updates on a possible new direction/focus. This weekend I am excited to meet with a friend of mine, also known as the Duchess of Windmill, who is working on her Communications and Public Relations degree.

Among the usual friendly gossip, we plan to talk about branding and purpose. While I do not know a lot about where I'm heading, I know one thing I can assure you. My authentic voice will be heard in my blog, through whatever sound wave that may be, white noise or otherwise.

Honor Life

"Do not fear death so much, but rather the inadequate life."
-BERTOLT BRECHT

Last night I was reminded again of how precious life really is and how lucky I am to be alive. It is easy to complain and feel like your life is in shambles, it is much harder for people to really honor their life and their journey and be grateful for the privileges they have been given.

It is also easy for people to wallow in their despair and not move forward with their lives. Rather than taking risks and challenging oneself, people often get stuck in a rut. This stuckness is not really living.

With the poor economy and me wrapping up a Master's degree while searching for a new direction, it is easy to feel stuck and hopeless. I admit I fall victim at times to thinking that I maybe made the wrong decision.

However last night I was brutally reminded how important it is to follow your dreams, even if people try to convince you otherwise.

Jay received a phone call that shook our world. His cousin was on his honeymoon with his new wife and they got in a horrible boating accident. His wife's life was taken.

My thoughts are with their family. From the sounds of it, she was an amazing person who lived her life to the fullest. While it is extremely regrettable and awful that her life was lost at such a young age I feel glad to know that she was a person who honored life and followed her dreams.

I can only hope to emulate her spirit in my daily living.

I'd like to share a quote that she lived by that I feel sums up a lot about the meaning of life.

"Four things support the world: the learning of the wise, the justice of the great, the prayers of the good, and the valor of the brave."

May we all learn how to support the world by fully honoring our lives and the lives of others.

A quote from Rumi

Conventional wisdom is death to our souls
and is not really ours.
We must become ignorant of what we have been taught
to become instead, bewildered.
Run from what's profitable and comfortable.
If you drink those liqueurs,
you'll spill the spring water that is your real life.
Forget safety.
Live where you fear to live.
Be notorious.
Destroy your reputation.
We've tried prudent planning long enough.
From now on, let's be mad.
-Rumi

I can('t) ride my bike with no handlebars

I always thought kids who could ride their bikes without handlebars were all pretty daring and wreckless and there was something sexy and carefree about that that I admired in them. (Okay so the picture I found doesn't really depict sexy and carefree but you get what I mean).

Anyway, so I didn't have the balance or the balls to really try it. I was too scared and valued caution at the time (which I guess I still value). Thinking back on it I can also see kids riding without handlebars maybe less because they were actually carefree and had good faith that the world would catch them if they fell, but maybe it was an act done more to show off or to prove that they were cool or better than those who couldn't do it. Maybe not, maybe it had nothing to do with others and was more of a "Look at me! Yay I can do it all by myself!" Whatever the reason, what are we here to prove? And who are we proving it to? Ourselves? I don't know, I'm asking you...

The Flobots have a song that brings a way deeper meaning to the idea of riding a bike (living life) without handlebars. Check out the video. Something about this song touches me (beyond it has a catchy line/tune). There's a lot of words on the meaning of this song out on the WWW, but I'll leave it up to you to make your own meaning of it. I'm still figuring it out myself.

Wake up it's your past life

Very interesting video about a young boy named James. If you have any curiosity about past lives or none at all, it's a video worth watching to make you think about life and what it all really means.

Part One


Part Two


Part Three