Death sucks. But I may have mentioned that already.
Blogs are more than what a lot of people in the non-blogging world think they are. When people on TV speak of blogs they are often referring to political blogs. "Bloggers are essentially parasitic", one of them said on the Sunday Squabble Shows today, referring to bloggers who seize on things reported in the mainstream media, repeat them, and give elaborate partisan analysis. I wonder if she realizes that these people aren't the only sort of "bloggers" out there?
Someday I'll write something on the diverse nature of blogging. But not right now.
I just wanted to say that for those of us whose blogs are not simply partisan parasitic political puffery, our blogs can often be read in a way that gives outsiders a glimpse into our lives. And quite often, the story of those lives is told at times through the stories of others' deaths.
How blogs commemorate those who die is up to the individual blogger. But if you read enough blogs, you will gradually assemble an idea of the transient nature of life and the relentlessness of death. It's not just me. Look around at a few blogs and see for yourself.
Posts
Daryl Sznyter
5 years ago
7 comments:
As a mainly political blogger I just want to say thank you. People have lives that they want to share and that's great. I may not comment often but I read you everyday. You are such a talented writer, your recent posts about your family and losing a pet are touching. Keep it up my friend.
I am thankful that you have tried to get the diversified nature of Blogs to the minds of those who has a single track of visualizing it and as a result, using it in that way. I have tried to make my blog as diversified as possible, with nearly everything that can be written; some about me and some not about me.
What I am finding about your blog in particular Harold is that you will write sometimes things that you can't bring yourself to say.
It broadens what you put out to the world. I do the same thing in e-mails to my friend that I write to daily. I have told herself things about myself in e-mails that I couldn't bear to "say" to someone. I guess it is an outlet of sorts, this blogging. A healthy one if you keep it that way.
I love your stories, in person and here. :)
D.B.
I would hazard to guess the majority of blogs aren't political in nature at all. There are a lot of on-line journals or sorts and people posting pictures, etc. Sure, blogspot has a lot of junk pages, but you only get to them by hitting the "next blog" button. The talking heads are in business of making outrageous statements in order to create attention (too bad that almost always involves discord).
It is sort of hard to imagine someone writing a journal that doesn't deal with death at some point. Death both reminds us of our mortality and almost always includes some loss. In the worst cases death is both pointless and deeply painful. I am a bit ashamed to say that sometimes I am happy that someone else's tragedy didn't happen to me. Often I am pretty sure I could get through it better than them, but I also know that I don't want to experience the pain they are feeling. I am happy to listen and I sometimes think I know where they are at, but only time and personal strength will get them through it.
Dealing with death changes us. How we conduct our lives after we come to know what death brings us is a one measure of ourselves. Commemorating the dead is surely a validation of life in some sense. Blogs are surely another valid form of communication. One that you've used quite beautifully really.
I wish you the best.
Super G
PS I'll personally continue to not watch Sunday morning talk shows.
So true ....
Super G, your comment here made me cry. If I were half as eloquent as you I would have said it exactly like that.
Thank you for sharing that thought with me.
Well, I'll happily accept a compliment. So, thanks Betz. I've suffered through some losses and it took some time. I think it made me more appreciative of the very many blessings I now have, but they were hard lessons.
Your Harold certainly seems to be suffering more than his fair share these days and I admire his continuing good nature (at least as I read it in his blog).
Take care all. Super G
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