Sunday, March 1, 2009

Back from the Break

And so, I'm back.

What I had feared would be a difficult week away from the computer actually turned out to be exactly what my weary soul needed.

As my good pal Soliloquy pointed out, "I know you will hear from the Lord. We always do when we just shut up for a pair of minutes!"

Amen to that.

Blogging has blessed me in so many ways. It's a fantastic creative outlet for me. I love and cherish the relationships I've built with all of you. I've learned so many things that have enhanced my life in one way or another.

But.

There's the other side of blogging. Kimba wrote about it beautifully last week when I was on blog break. I stumbled upon her post tonight and what she said sums it up perfectly:

"But, to paraphrase something written by a friend, there is a great danger in blogging especially for anyone who thrives on success and creativity. The danger is that we cannot differentiate between the good that comes from creating, connecting and providing and the evil that comes from being pulled away from the family and into a cycle of NEEDING to succeed for our own egos.

There is a powerful push and pull between the good and bad. I believe that applies to anything that has the power to pull us away from what should be our primary priorities, whatever those happen to be."

That, I'm ashamed to say, is where I was. Stuck in the middle of that push and pull. And -- don't misunderstand -- it's not like I have it all settled now. It's a constant struggle for me to keep my priorities in check. One week off has not set me on the right path forever. But, I'm going to make a few changes to try and keep life in check, because -- if nothing else -- this past week has reminded me that I'm a wife and mother first and foremost.

6 comments:

Elizabeth said...

Blogging can be such a blessing, but it has a dark side that few people care to admit. I appreciate your honesty in this post, and the reminder that we can't forget what our real priorities are. Thank you.

Hillary @ The Other Mama said...

What a great point! I need to remember that more often. Since I happen to be down here reading blogs at 11:47... hmmm...
Ok. Off to bed. You convinced me!

Jackie said...

Glad to see you back!

I struggle with this constantly. Just when I think I have a handle on it, it sucks me in again and I have to fight for balance. I love blogging and the friendships I've made so much, but my life cannot center around that. You are so not alone in this!

Jackie said...

Glad to see you back!

I struggle with this constantly. Just when I think I have a handle on it, it sucks me in again and I have to fight for balance. I love blogging and the friendships I've made so much, but my life cannot center around that. You are so not alone in this!

Lizz @ Yes, and So is My Heart said...

I've been at that point a time or two (or 20!). Now, I blog haphazardly and much more happily. I know when I put off playing with my kiddos to blog, things are out of balance. Now, putting off the dishes is an entirely different story. :)

Unknown said...

Excellant. I am glad you break was a good one, and that you are figuring out how to re-prioritize! It is easy to get sucked into distractions and so not easy to get unstuck...sounds like you are on the way!