Why I Blog

I'm pretty sure you're going to think I'm nuts when I tell you this.

But.

I actually like doing the dishes.

No, really. I do.

If one can really say they have a favorite chore, it's mine.

And, I don't just rinse them off before loading them into the dishwasher, either.  I prefer to wash them all by hand.

Crazy?  I know.

It's the process that I enjoy the most, I think.

Turning on the radio.

Filling up a sink with hot water and soap (and, maybe a glass with wine after the boys are in bed) - like a bubble bath.

Piling in the dirty dishes to let them soak for a little while, and then rinsing them clean.

One by one.

Although I can't tell you why, somehow, it's all very relaxing to me.

It calms my nerves.

Just like writing.

What the suds do for the dishes is what writing does for my insides.

It loosens all of the clingy, sometimes-burned bits and leftover grit - the mess of thoughts and emotions -  so I can scrub it all away, and rinse it down the drain.

Afterwards, what's left is something to be happy about.

A shiny, de-cluttered kitchen counter top, and clean dishes on the shelves to start over with.

A heart and mind refreshed, and a blank page filled with words that are no longer left to race around my head at night when I'm trying to fall asleep.

That's why I write.

It's as simple as that.

It's about me choosing to acknowledge who I really am and have been on the inside (even all of the messy, not-so-pretty parts of me) so I can grow.

It helps me focus, make sense of things, forgive myself, if need be, and let it all go.

Why I blog is also simple, but something completely different, altogether.

The season I'm weathering, right now, makes it a little difficult for me to get out of the house very often, as I am doing my best to love on and raise up two young boys while sharing one vehicle with a hard-working husband whose job takes him away on a regular basis.   

It's a chosen season, one of intentional sacrifice and commitment, so, I'm not complaining, but, chosen or not, my days can be long and isolating, and it's nice to be able to be reminded that I'm not alone.

Blogging isn't just an outlet, it's a community.

Choosing to hit publish, and open my (sometimes too-sensitive) heart to you, even though it scares me, is my way of reaching out to connect with, relate to, learn from, and (hopefully) return the favor to everyone I come in contact along the way.

Do you blog?  If so, leave a comment with a link so I can stop by to say hello!

Also, what is your purpose for blogging or doing your thing - whatever it is?  What is your why?