The Trouble With Blogging
I like
blogging, I really do, but it does have its drawbacks. One of the nice things is you make so many
friends. You never meet these friends,
well occasionally some bloggers do, but for the most part they become long
distance friends, kind of like pen pals.
This same
nice thing also becomes one of the not nice things about blogging. You lose some of these friends. You lose some friends because they pass away,
I have lost two blogging friends this way.
Some blogging friends simply stop blogging and don’t bother to say good
bye. You often never know if they just
moved on or if something bad happened.
One of my
favorite bloggers, one who quite honestly, I have had a minor blogmance with,
has not posted in over a year. She is
elderly and was losing her eyesight so perhaps she just cannot post or comment
anymore. I am afraid to find out.
This is the
problem with blogging. There is much
sadness in life, I don’t really want to be subject to more potential bad
news. When a fellow blogger loses a pet,
suffers a fall, or needs an operation, we all worry or feel grief. When a blogging parent passes away we feel
the pain and when a social media friend’s child suffers we also suffer a
little.
Recently a
blogging friend’s son fell asleep and drove his car 70 mph off the road while on
his way home from college. I have a son
who just started college, I can only imagine her worry. The car was totaled,
the son miraculously survived unharmed. Just
reading about it gave me an extra gray hair or two.
Having
blogging friends from all around the world is a terrific thing. Sharing their worry and suffering is the one
trouble with blogging.
So true. I suspect we've all lost a few if we've been blogging for any length of time. I'm so glad your friend's son was alright. How terrifying.
ReplyDeleteScary with your friend and her son; glad he was okay; cars can always be replaced.
ReplyDeleteBlogging is such an unique thing. I tried to explain to my husband one time the connections made through blogging with people we more than likely won't meet in "real life." He didn't quite get it when I was talking about that spirit of friendship and community, but I guess only a blogger involved in a community of bloggers would get it. I used to joke that if I traveled across country by car, I could visit a blogger in every state along the way if I chose to.
It makes you wonder though why some at one time active bloggers just stop all of a sudden with no announcement etc. I don't like my blog out there in cyberspace without me maintaining it so I think I better give hubby instructions how to post something on my blog should something happen and then delete it down the way.
betty
Falling asleep while driving :(
ReplyDeleteMy youngest brother did that on his motorbike, 33 years ago now. Lived three days in a coma and then died. My mum never got over it.
It is sad when somebody drops off the face of the planet, one never knows and even though they are gone, they stay with you, the way loved ones do. A person does develop relationships with their blogging friends the same as they do the ones we shake hands with. Yes, there is a problem with that, and a blessing.
ReplyDeleteBlogging friends frequently offer more than those we have in real life. I shouldn't say that but it's often true. I explained to my husband how to notify blogging pals if I was unable to blog myself but I don't have him now so I will be one of those who just 'disappears'. In the meantime I enjoy the friendships I have made and value them. They have brought great comfort so many times.
ReplyDeleteIt's just like life, you have friends, and you share their joys and griefs. The only difference is it's done online instead of in person. The connections are the same.
ReplyDeleteThere are ways to set up an automatic notice to virtual friends if something happens to you. If you don't have a close friend or loved one who will do it for you, you might look into setting one of those up.
Totally agree Joe. I've had folks who commented all the time just suddenly stop. Did I offend them? Are they okay? Did they move to Idaho? It bothers me.
ReplyDeleteThis blogging thing is fun and it is a community. An oddball community at times but I love it.
Now I need to let the kids know my password and all that other stuff. Just in case...
I agree that it's hard when someone just suddenly stops blogging with no goodbye. It's surprising how much you miss people you never met, but in some ways, probably know more about than people IRL.
ReplyDeleteBlogging seems like a small world to us, especially when we interact with one another. In a small world, it is very troubling when our friends leave. Sad, yes. But we must continue to write and expand our network of friends. The Blogosphere is growing, despite the loss of bloggers who have given up their passion for writing.
ReplyDeleteI sent an email to Lo's email address. Maybe we'll see. I think she is the most dearly loved of all.
ReplyDeleteIf you find out if Lo's OK, please let me/us know!!
DeleteWe do get attached don't we. Those that I know have passed have left a real empty spot in my heart. Two I have kept on my Blog list and revisit them on occasion to reread old posts. You would have loved Old Horsetail Snake.
ReplyDeleteI'd better stop blogging now so when folks ask about it I can tell them I am okay
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. I've lost a few over the years as well. One I had met in Florida many years ago. It's still worth blogging though. I've some really fabulous blogging buddies.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous day and I'm happy to say you're one of my blogging buddies. ☺
I also am bothered when someone I've built a blogging relationship with just disappears, and there have been many. If I ever decide to pull the plug on my blog, and it's a definite possibility, I'll be sure to make an announcement to let people know. Take care.
ReplyDeleteI love blogging but yes, I agree with you. People disappear. There seems to be about a 3-5 year lifespan on blogs, usually, and the end tends to come suddenly.
ReplyDeleteJust like in real life people come and people go with no warning...just gone...and you never find out what happened. It is difficult.
ReplyDeleteAs the mom of the sleeping son-driver, I'm leaving a link in case anyone wants to see the car carnage and what a miracle it was that my boy wasn't hurt. I don't mean to hijack, but that's what blog friends are for, right?
ReplyDeletehttp://unbaggingthecats.blogspot.com/2016/11/vals-thankfullest-thanksgiving-ever.html
I, too, have been wondering about some of my old blog-friends. Like whether I should delete their links in my sidebar. I hate not-knowing. That's why, when I unexpectedly ended up in the hospital for three days with pulmonary embolisms, I had my boys post on my two blogs that I would be away for a while. So my five or six readers wouldn't think I was slacking.
Blogging is kind of like life, wouldn't you say, Joe. You meet people, become friends, then they grow old and then they're gone.
ReplyDeleteAgree with everything that's been said! I wonder if we all should have a plan in place for the possibility that we meet a sudden, unforeseen demise. Should I give my husband my password and instructions on what to say for my last post? Hm. Pondering now.
ReplyDeleteI've met a few blogging friends in real life. It was fun to meet someone for the first time when you've been online friends for years.
It is interesting how we form relationships through blogging. I'm glad your friend's son was okay.
ReplyDeleteWith my previous blog "This & That As I Bounce Thru Life" I had gained many great friends around the world. I still keep in touch with them via Skype or Facebook. It is a sad time when you never hear from someone again as you just don't know what happened.
ReplyDeleteI've experienced the same thing.
ReplyDelete