Have you ever sent a message that was completely misconstrued? Well I have. It happened yesterday. After I re-read my words this morning three things occurred to me:
1. There are three, if not four, blogs inside of one.
2. I was emotionally charged
3. I shouldn’t have hit publish.
What’s done is done.
Or is it? That’s the beauty of blogging. It’s a snapshot of a moment in time and that means there will be times that I will miss the mark, be emotionally charged, or a whole slew of things that I can’t think of right this second.
And the sun will still come up the next day.
Here’s the deal–it is very hard to get to a different altitude when I am in the throes of emotion. It’s as if I am trying to put together a jigsaw puzzle, only rather than sitting straight up where I can see all the pieces, I am hunched over with my face so close to the table everything is a blur.
What about you, have you ever written a blog post from a place of emotion?
This morning I am sitting straight up and can see the pieces yesterday I simply could not.
Tempting as it is to take the post down, I’m not going to. What I am going to do though is straighten up the confusion:
1. Everyone in my family is OK.
2. The bad news is not mine to share–I was trying to write about the effect it had on me–not the news itself.
3. Clearly I failed at #2, hence the reason for stating #1.
Thank you dear readers for going along with this 30 day challenge–I am learning a lot and will for sure be writing a future piece called: What writing a post a day for 30 days taught me. Or some schmaltzy thing like that.
And if you have been paying any attention at all for the last three days. The answer to my 5 Truths, 1 Lie, inspired by: Sips of Jen and Tonic will be published tomorrow. If you haven’t guessed yet? Please do.
Before I forget: Thanks go to Lois and Edee for their concern…if you like playing 5 truths, 1 lie, the links on their names will take you to their versions of the very same game.
Now…I am going for a much needed walk with one of my favorite people in the entire world; Colleen.
I knew what you meant – and I’m still here if you need an ear 😉
Thanks for the shout out, btw!
Glad someone did! xo
Love you.
And that makes me feel better! love you back
Well, I am sure glad everything is ok. hugs! 🙂
Me too, thanks!
Fortunately (?) I had not seen your prior post so was not worried. Um, that’s a good thing, yes? Also fortunately I have not yet written a post that I regretted later, though I am sure I missed the mark on some. So glad you are seeing good from what may have seemed problematic!
Thanks for sharing-yes it’s always positive to find a silver lining.
I have blogging friends that seem to wear transparency like the latest fad. It just looks good on them. When I read the comments to their moments of truth, I see support and atta girls and we feel ya’s. When I ‘go there’, I read failure and pity and impatience. I love your analogy of sitting straight up. But that’s life, isn’t it? One minute it feel as though the sky is falling and the next there’s no one better to wear the cape. I’ve hit Publish and Draft and Publish again…yes ma’am. And, on those days, I have to be as loving to myself as when I feel all squishy and just need to vent. Happy all is well!
I really appreciate authenticity in a blog and I love when people speak their truth. It can be scary. I love that you say there is “no one better to wear the cape.” Thanks for stopping Sabrina by and for sharing too.
First off, I read your last post correctly; there was no confusion here as to who you were talking about. I read authenticity in your voice, and I think that’s what connects us to our readers and our readers with us. I try and tend to by optimistic and see the brighter side of things, or at least the “learning opportunity.” That’s my nature. But not every day is filled with rainbows. There are days when fear or anger or sadness or simple exhaustion cloud my judgment. Those tend to be the posts that get the greatest response, too. I get out of my way and let my “authentic voice” out, which feels both scary and good.
Second, and perhaps more importantly, I thought the post was beautiful. The message, the writing, the honesty. All beautiful.
I agree with you. I suppose the best way to describe how I was feeling is by saying I thought I had confused the reader in some way. That’s where getting to a different altitude can be so helpful. Also there was opportunity to write that post in two pieces…but again, I think the beauty is I still can write more about either half of that equation. Thank you so much for your kind words and for sharing…very appreciated.
I just read the post, and the thing I took away from it was your emotion. I wasn’t thinking about the incident itself, but your human reaction to a tough situation.
Sometimes we offend when we don’t mean to. Been there. Dust it off and keep on going.
I think it wasn’t so much that it offended but more that something in what I wrote had confused the reader–or that was how I interpreted the responses. I do however agree that the only way through is to go forward. I love that most about blogging…now that I have actually blogged with consistency plug for NaBloPoMo) I have found I really REALLY like the immediacy of it. The very complexion of the post reflects memory, or a moment in time: how I feel, where I am at, what I am thinking AND it chronicles that. I love that you connected with the emotion–that is, IMHO, why we are here walking this planet. Thank you so much for adding your voice to this thread.
I’m a few days behind in my reading, but I have been reading each and every one of your blogs in order. So I knew exactly what you were talking about and I don’t think you missed the mark at all… You had an honest personal reaction as a mother to a friend’s crisis and I love how you are so eloquently shared it with us. xoxo Love you Elin!
Thank you Janet…as you well know there is a ripple effect. love you too.