To thine own self be true
When I started this blog nearly two years ago, my initial purpose was to create a space where I could both share my thoughts and also provide readers with some understanding about the direction I had decided to take with my writing projects. I will be the first to admit that I have not been at all consistent in posting, and there has been much that has changed in my life in terms of priorities and circumstances since I began this blog. I haven't been particularly consistent with my writing projects either, which made it difficult for me to make any firm commitments there. The reality is, I have not allowed myself the time or the space to be consistent, and as such my entries have been rather bare.
Then there is the question of boundaries. How much do I really want to share? What do I want out there forever? Once I post it, it's not going away. What do I keep to myself and what do I want to share with others? Who do I even want reading these posts in the first place? How is what I post going to impact my family or even my career? What is my purpose? Who cares?
I was recently asked why I hadn't posted anything in a year. I only half jokingly mentioned that no one had died, referencing my several posts that appeared after deaths or the anniversaries thereof. The truth is, after the death of Robin Williams, I immediately thought to myself that I need to post about this. I'm sorry to admit that the reactions of others regarding the silliness of my feelings about the matter prevented me from doing so. I thought to myself that I was just going to be posting another eulogy, and this one about a man I had never met. It would get lost in a sea of other commentaries, and my own reactions wouldn't make a lick of difference to anyone else. I would be posting just assuage myself of my own pseudo-grief and it could potentially turn into a rant similar to the one I am on now. I have given this some thought over the last 48 hours and have come to the following conclusion:
SO WHAT?
I didn't start a blog because I felt like I needed a response from everyone in the social media universe
or even a response from my family and friends. I started it because I have something to say, and I just want a forum to share it. Maybe I AM just going to assuage my pseudo-grief at times. Maybe I do just want to rant about how I feel like it absolutely stinks that Peter Pan grew up, and that he was in so much pain that he couldn't even live anymore. So what if it seems silly to anyone. For me, that hurt. For me, that brought me to tears, and for me, that caused me to ache for a man I only knew as a character in movies, and I couldn't help but cry for his family and pray for him and them with the sincerest form of empathy I could muster.
Sure, I hope it can foster some conversation. I hope there's some feedback. At times, I hope for some good debate. I'm not particularly witty. This is not going to turn into a humor blog and it is certainly not going viral. Ultimately I can be comfortable with silence, but at times silence can be deafening. So here you are going to experience my grief, you will experience my views of the political landscape, you will experience my determination to stand up for what I believe in. You will experience the opportunity I am going to take to share goodness. I'm going to have boundaries
because I am not going to share everything; however, if you choose to read this blog and experience it with me you will certainly know who I am. I am just going to go for it. I make no promises about how often I will post. I make no promises as to this blogs content. The views expressed are my own. You can take it for what it's worth.
As a mental health counselor and substance use disorder counselor, of utmost importance to me is providing individuals, couples, and families the tools and strategies they need to be authentic people and to live authentic lives. As cliche as it may sound, I believe in practicing what I preach.
It is my hope that this blog may serve as a way for me to be authentic, vulnerable, and to be true to myself. Sharing that with the world is important to me because from where I am sitting, the world is full of double-minded men and women, inauthentic purposes for living, and a craving for instant gratification that is corroding the very fabric of society and individual purpose. I'm just one person of nearly 8 billion, but I think it's time someone shares that they stand for something. This space simply stands for the power and need to be authentic, no matter how that comes out, whether prose or poetry, a rant or a eulogy. Shakespeare said, "To thine own self be true," what is often missed is the second part of that oft quoted phrase, which states,
"And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man."
Then there is the question of boundaries. How much do I really want to share? What do I want out there forever? Once I post it, it's not going away. What do I keep to myself and what do I want to share with others? Who do I even want reading these posts in the first place? How is what I post going to impact my family or even my career? What is my purpose? Who cares?
I was recently asked why I hadn't posted anything in a year. I only half jokingly mentioned that no one had died, referencing my several posts that appeared after deaths or the anniversaries thereof. The truth is, after the death of Robin Williams, I immediately thought to myself that I need to post about this. I'm sorry to admit that the reactions of others regarding the silliness of my feelings about the matter prevented me from doing so. I thought to myself that I was just going to be posting another eulogy, and this one about a man I had never met. It would get lost in a sea of other commentaries, and my own reactions wouldn't make a lick of difference to anyone else. I would be posting just assuage myself of my own pseudo-grief and it could potentially turn into a rant similar to the one I am on now. I have given this some thought over the last 48 hours and have come to the following conclusion:
SO WHAT?
I didn't start a blog because I felt like I needed a response from everyone in the social media universe
or even a response from my family and friends. I started it because I have something to say, and I just want a forum to share it. Maybe I AM just going to assuage my pseudo-grief at times. Maybe I do just want to rant about how I feel like it absolutely stinks that Peter Pan grew up, and that he was in so much pain that he couldn't even live anymore. So what if it seems silly to anyone. For me, that hurt. For me, that brought me to tears, and for me, that caused me to ache for a man I only knew as a character in movies, and I couldn't help but cry for his family and pray for him and them with the sincerest form of empathy I could muster.
Sure, I hope it can foster some conversation. I hope there's some feedback. At times, I hope for some good debate. I'm not particularly witty. This is not going to turn into a humor blog and it is certainly not going viral. Ultimately I can be comfortable with silence, but at times silence can be deafening. So here you are going to experience my grief, you will experience my views of the political landscape, you will experience my determination to stand up for what I believe in. You will experience the opportunity I am going to take to share goodness. I'm going to have boundaries
because I am not going to share everything; however, if you choose to read this blog and experience it with me you will certainly know who I am. I am just going to go for it. I make no promises about how often I will post. I make no promises as to this blogs content. The views expressed are my own. You can take it for what it's worth.
As a mental health counselor and substance use disorder counselor, of utmost importance to me is providing individuals, couples, and families the tools and strategies they need to be authentic people and to live authentic lives. As cliche as it may sound, I believe in practicing what I preach.
It is my hope that this blog may serve as a way for me to be authentic, vulnerable, and to be true to myself. Sharing that with the world is important to me because from where I am sitting, the world is full of double-minded men and women, inauthentic purposes for living, and a craving for instant gratification that is corroding the very fabric of society and individual purpose. I'm just one person of nearly 8 billion, but I think it's time someone shares that they stand for something. This space simply stands for the power and need to be authentic, no matter how that comes out, whether prose or poetry, a rant or a eulogy. Shakespeare said, "To thine own self be true," what is often missed is the second part of that oft quoted phrase, which states,
"And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man."
Something to ponder over.
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