TAKING A RISK

I'm conflicted. Yes...conflicted.

It has been three years since I wrote my first blog post and nervously clicked on "publish post." During these three years I have posted about many things. My thoughts, dreams, feelings...the mushy stuff. I've posted about being a wife, a mom, funny things that happen with my kids, my husband or just life in general...and sometimes more mushy stuff. It has become a wonderful hobby for me. I have come to view situations...whether positive or negative...as "blog-worthy." Sometimes the thoughts flow so fast from my head that my fingers have a hard time keeping up on the keyboard. Blogging has become a stepping stone in my desire to write...for real. I am waiting for this hobby to inspire me to eventually write something that you will see on the shelf at Barnes and Noble...or that you will download onto your Kindle, Nook or whatever type of e-reader some of you may have.

During these three years my experience with blogging has been so positive. Never once did I experience a reaction or comment that made me think, "Oh no...did I make a mistake by posting that?" My experience with comments has been only of encouragement and support.

Until...

this post from November 2010:

Outside the "In" Box

and this post just last week:

A Week in Review

These two posts apparently caused a ruckus. They were hurtful. They certainly were not supposed to be hurtful. In fact, there was nothing in my heart that even dreamed of hurtfulness or negativity. They were just me...sharing something I learned in life or sharing my week. You may read them and think, "Huh? I'm confused." That's how I felt, too. Confused. The reaction to these two posts made me sad that it made others angry or hurt or irritated.

So today I sit here with so much on my heart. So much on my mind. So much that the world and life keeps teaching me and I can't help but wonder, "Hmmmmm...is that blog-worthy? Maybe I should rethink it before I let my thoughts and feelings flow so freely from my head to my fingertips to the screen in front of me and then...dare I say...hit that 'publish post' button."

What about you? Have you ever experienced anything like this? Just living life, taking in what you've learned, sharing it in hopes that it might inspire someone else to learn from your mistake or gain something from your experience...and then find out that you have inadvertently hurt someone in the process?

I hope your answer to this question is, "No." I would hate for someone else to have experienced this, too.

I'm going to click on "publish post" now. It's a bit risky...but I'll give it a go.

Peace and blessings to your day.
Jeanine