Reaching: Why Do I Blog?

I’m participating in Kim Klassen's and Xanthe’s online class “Behind the Scenes: A Creative Guide to Blogging Your Passion.” I’m very excited to be a part of it, and look forward to learning lots about my blogging and how I can improve on it. I enjoy blogging so much and know so little – this will be a great learning experience. Our first assignment was to answer the question, “Why Do I Blog”? It was interesting to ponder over this - clarifying it felt good.

I blog for two main reasons: One, because I’m creative and have been unable to find fellow kindred spirits in my real life…I’m surrounded by lovely, but practical, people who have no interest in (or time for) artistic things. For many years I kept this artistic, poetic side of myself hidden because I had no one to share it with and felt odd for being this “creatively yearning” person. The yearning was unwavering and such a part of me on a daily basis. Second, I’m an introvert – quiet and shy in real life. It’s harder for me to share my truth face to face; it makes me feel too vulnerable. I’m much better at revealing myself with writing rather than speaking…writing, whether it’s poetry or a blog post, gives me time to compose my thoughts.

Ultimately, blogging for me is about connecting and sharing with people who relate to me and the creative things I love to do. The little communities within my blog world GET me, accept me, encourage me, support me…it’s a lovely thing. And in return, I love to do the same for others by interacting with and encouraging some really wonderful people. Blogging empowers me to express myself, and expression is vital to who I am. To not express starves my soul's longing...I've done that, and it's not a good feeling (poem below). Blogging allows me to share my heart with less anxiety and more bravado. The buffer of the computer screen – having it as my armor - gives me courage. Reaching through the computer screen – connecting with others - gives me validation. As I move forward with this blog, I want to try and gather my love of poetry, images, and art into a more cohesive unit. My camera and PSE are the common threads that have tied these all together for me – I believe I discovered photography for this reason, and I’m incredibly grateful!

UNWRITTEN

Chapters of my life
Held tightly to my chest
Bound firmly by the most
Delicate of memories
Crescent-moon shadows
Underneath my nails
My hands keep reaching
For bookmarked feathers
Gripping empty pages
Where words surely
Should escape
The sun is setting
On the vibrant spaces
Between my fingers
Tales trapped in my heart
Rattling in their cages
And I hum
In twilight's silence
My soft, unspoken songs.

© Sherri Brannon