The View From Here: Blogger Regrets

This week, Shayla and I are discussing a somewhat negative aspect of blogging.  And, I have to warn you, I might go a little deeper than normal.

Today’s question is: Do You Have Any Blogging Regrets?

My blog friend Donna says, when it comes to blogging, if you aren’t a little uncomfortable, then you’re not doing it right.  I tend to agree with her, but because I’ve been blogging here for less than a year, I haven’t had time to really put my foot in my mouth.  Not yet.

I was really outspoken on my first blog, especially when it came to politics, and I know that I sometimes offended the three people who were reading, just based on the emails I received.  I think it’s okay, though, because they know me in person and know how passionate I am about certain things, like our governor’s hair.

With this blog, I’ve tried to distance myself from more controversial topics like religion and politics, though those issues do creep in from time to time.  Since I use this space as a creative outlet, I focus on things I really enjoy, like art, fashion, makeup, and home design.  I talk about my children and share stories about my life, and it’s a very normal, run-of-the-mill lifestyle blog, I think.

(Grocery store roses in my bedroom.  Aren’t they lovely?)

But I have other interests and concerns, too, that I don’t discuss here on my blog.  And sometimes, I regret not saying more.

It’s fun to write about pretty things, and it provides a nice distraction from the monotony of daily life, but, I often wonder if I’m really doing anyone a favor.  I enjoy taking pretty pictures and analyzing the cut of a blouse, but should I focus more of my time and effort on other larger issues?

I’m a news junkie, so I follow local stories like this, that directly impact my community.  I worry about the future of my little town, and of this state I love so much, and I hope things will be better when my boys are older.  I hate that a heated school board election is playing out in my front yard, and that many of the people in the thick of it attend the church attached to my boys’ school.

These are the things that keep me up at night, not roses and lipstick shades, though those hold meaning, too, in a different way.

I cried for the people of Boston a few weeks ago, but I cried for my country, too.  It’s changed so much since I came of age, and I want my boys to know the same freedoms and liberties I once took for granted.  They’re disappearing, largely from our own fear, and nobody seems to notice.  Or, if they do, they aren’t saying anything.  That really scares me, too.

So I wonder, should I say more?  Should I share my thoughts on politics and risk isolating myself as a blogger?  Is my skin thick enough for that?  And is it really worth it?

I don’t know.  What do you think?

I warned Shayla ahead of time that today’s post would be a bit different than normal, so please check out her response, too.