Monday, November 21, 2011

"god is what happens when humanity is connected."

Sometimes I get... apprehensive? at the thought of writing a blog.  When a blog is written well, it can be a insightful, thoughtful, valid contribution to the world.  When done not so well, it can veer into silliness, vapidity, and self-indulgence.  It is the latter that I worry about becoming (high heels; blazers).

But oh how I love the blogs that I read.  Even depend on them, at times.

Because if Heather Armstrong never wrote about her depression, I wouldn't have had her company on those dark days and nights when I was very much drowning.  Because if Gretchen Rubin didn't write so honestly and so optimistically about making life worth living, I wouldn't have a spot to retreat to when I'm trying to pull myself out of darkness. 

I can tell my boyfriend wonders about all of the blogs I read, and those to which I'm especially devoted.  I can tell he doesn't get it.  He's never needed to, and that's okay.  But for people like me, the sensitive ones, the ones with emotions raw and undisguised, the ones with high highs and low lows, it is so important-- so vital-- to connect, even if just through a screen, to somebody who has been through it, or understands it. And that is why I'd like to blog. To share experience. To connect.

This morning, I read The Happiness Project, which led me to Crooked House, which led me to this video, titled "The Internet is my Religion."  So here was this video with a title I initially interpreted as trite, and I took a chance and watched. And I was very much moved. What this man expresses so eloquently in his talk, I will (inadequately) reduce to a few words: The internet is important because it connects us, and in the end, connection is everything. I believe that.  I believe IN that.  Please watch this: