You read my blog

You read my blog.
(Please pronounce read as "red" not "reed.")

You are a friend.
You are a former co-worker.
You are the parent of a student I taught 5 years ago.
You are a judge.
You are a friend of a friend who saw it on facebook.
You stumbled around on the internet and found it.

I was surprised.
I never really expected you, or anyone, to read it.

For years people told me I should start a blog. Or write a book.
I've always enjoyed writing, even when I was in school.  I tried journaling, writing for my high school's literary magazine, and posting funny vignettes on facebook.  I actually wrote the introduction to my senior yearbook.

I write for me.
I write to process the events of my life and better understand myself. It helps me make sense of the chaos in the world. It helps me to find new perspectives. It helps me to see what is important.

Last week, a friend said, "You put it on the internet, so you must want someone to read it."

Wow!
Time stopped for a moment.
Did I really want people to read it? The obvious logic says yes since I did in fact make it public.  But I guess I just never thought anyone actually would.

This led to several days of profound introspection.  I sought the answer to 'why I put something so personal on the internet.'  In some ways, I'm still seeking it, but I'll give it a try.

I want to be real.  I want to celebrate openness and honesty. I want to be able to share the truth.  If you've read Ender's Game, think of a Speaker for the Dead. I want to be able to share things the way they really are without having to hide behind what I am "supposed to" do/say/think/feel.

I think that's why you read it - because it rings true.  Because you like it unfiltered. Because you want to share in my emotions - joy, pain, love, exhilaration, loss. And maybe because despite my flaws, you accept me anyway.

So thank you.  Thank you for reading. But more importantly, thank you for sharing in a piece of my life.