Seven Years

Yesterday, when I hit the "view next" blog button on my browser, I came across a blogger who has been blogging monthly for seven years. Seven years. I don't believe I have seven years of this in me (I'm coughing up verbal blood after four months). I wondered how a person finds enough material for seven years worth of sharing. I worry that I will begin to just make stuff up in order to meet my quota.

I also came across pages where the opening lines are "I've been off for awhile" or "I haven't written in awhile, but..." and worried that I will write something embarrassingly similar next year. Or what if I'm reduced to complaining about personal matters? In fact, a friend of mine says I never convey any sadness I might be experiencing - which makes me sad. I wish to convey that.

I'm amazed at all the young families with babies and toddlers who name their blog after the family. Names like: "The Canvendishes Dish It Up!" (I totally made that up. See, I'm starting already.) I then start to rethink my vow to display no pictures of my own. After all, I have a picture of Ben at the Children's Museum of Memphis wearing a fox costume that is way too small; a picture of Luke at the Memphis Zoo pointing to the boobs on a cat goddess statue; and a picture of Allie making a horrid face in a baby bonnet at a Putt Putt Golf and Games photo booth. I could resort to any of this before seven years is up. Or maybe worse (or maybe it would be better).

Luke says when he reads our family memories as I write them, we seem dysfunctional - which makes me feel dysfunctional. I wish to convey that too.

Then there are blogs where the wife gives marital advice (I think it's safe to say I won't be giving any, and I really don't want to take any). And there are the ones where they are "Debt free and Livin' Better Than You!" or "Hunkered Down, Eating Cheese for a Year, and Whittling Our Debt Down to $0!". I want to convey how fast I hit that "view next" blog button.

Then there are the blogs with names like: "In His Name and In Your Eye" or "Serving Him, One Picture of a Toddler in a Pumpkin Costume at a Time" or "In His Grace Being Changed Daily By His Grace Daily". Okay, so that is a little unspiritual of me. Which is probably a good name for my blog: "A Little Unspiritual of Me."

Anyway, I don't know if I'll be doing this seven days from now, much less seven years from now, so don't go falling in love with me.

Which is actually a pretty good name for a blog.