Thursday, December 6, 2007

Why Have A Blog?

When Jill suggested that I start a blog my reaction was “why?” My life is not very exciting, and my day-to-day doings are not really all that interesting. I have lunch with Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury in "Murder She Wrote") just about every day, and that’s because I already have most of the "Matlock" episodes memorized, and "Magnum P.I." is no longer on the air! Because of health challenges I don’t go out much. I do read a lot and I spend some time each day gazing into my back yard from my window in the kitchen.

What do I see from my window? Birds, squirrels, a completed deck (which only took 8 years to finish and has a hint of a golden glow in sunlight), a little red shed with white lattice trim, lots of grass, a square foot garden, a little house-shaped gazebo (its golden stain matches our deck) complete with a double glider swing. We also have a variety of textures and shades of green trees and bushes that form a privacy screen between us and the street, and depending on the time of year-a few lovely roses and other flowers.

The smaller trees all flower in the spring in cascades or mounds of pink, purple or white. It’s a lovely scene for contemplating and reflecting. It’s amazing how many ideas come that way.

I remember someone on the radio telling about a trip he once made to a third-world country, with a group of ordinary people who went over there for a short time to help however they could. When he got over there he was asked to help teach some people how to use their computer. (I think they were trying to set up an office in a new hospital, but I really don’t remember.) He had very limited computer skills, but the people in the office didn’t even know how to turn theirs on! He did the best he could with what he knew how to do and the people were extremely grateful. They thought he was a genius. He realized that “In the Land of the Blind the one eyed-man is King!"

Jill told me I should start a blog because I have so much to share. Upon reflecting, I realized she’s right. Even though I don’t feel like an “expert” in anything, I do have a lot I can share, and if it can help someone else in some way, it’s worth it.

In the words of Edward Everett Hale: “I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I ought to do. What I ought to do, by the grace of God, I will do.”

And that is why I am starting this blog. --K

7 comments:

Mamapierce said...

What a wonderful quote. I like that!

Do you write poetry? Your descriptions sounds very poetic...

Anonymous said...

Nice entry, and good enough reason.

Jill is right. You write very well.

--Peter

Anonymous said...

I like looking out your window. You should take a picture from that angle at various seasons to post. That would be fun.

Your words really bring the picture right into my mind of how everything looks.

Connie said...

I, too, look out my home office window and am amazed at what I see, and most often feel. You've painted a beautiful picture here and you have a way with words. I agree that you ought to include pictures. I mostly keep my journal now by taking pictures and love to share.

So, keep your blog going!

Helena said...

Lovely, Mom. :)

Anonymous said...

How fun! I've been thinking of blogging lately. Too many other commitments right now though. So I'll just plan on enjoying reading other's blogs for now. Congrats on the new endeavor! :)

Karen Ahlstrom said...

I actually started my career as a computer expert that way. My brothers always were the computer experts at home, but when I started working in an office where nobody knew anything about the computer, I found that I knew a lot more than I gave myself credit for. Somebody there recommended me to her brother-in-law who was in charge of the Alumni Association's computers at BYU, and I got a lot of on-the-job training and just kept moving up from there! Just this week, I've been offered a job teaching a dentist how to use her computer. Life's funny sometimes. You never know where a new road will take you.