Why?

I’ve often been asked why?  Why bare your soul in this way?  Why wear you heart on such a public sleeve?  Why write all this stuff where everyone…the whole world…can see it?

There’s no one simple answer.  So here’s a stab at a few complex ones.

Inspired by others

I was inspired to start writing by others who were already doing so.  Friends who were already sharing bits of their lives on the internet.

  • An amazing ex-colleague who was dying from cancer in a highly dignified manner.
  • A few friends who’d moved abroad and was keeping his family and friends updated through an entertaining blog.
  • The Fat Cyclist – who entertains me almost daily with his highly amusing cycling- and food-related writing.
  • Another friend who is using the internet to share the early years of their first child with their family who live on the other side of the world.

That doesn’t really help explain why I’m waffling on here.  I’m not inspiring people with my stories of fighting a terrible illness.  I’ve only moved as far as from London to Swindon and my family and friends are physically closer then they were.  I’m not massively funny.  I don’t have a new child.

Enjoyment

But I do like writing, and others have shown me that it’s OK to share some of your thoughts and experiences.  They can be interesting – especially to people that already know you.  I’ve really enjoyed reading other people’s writings, photos, experiences, thoughts, stories.  Perhaps they’ll enjoy some of what I’ve got to say.

Discovering and learning

I had a tough year a few years back with lots of illness.  Nothing hugely serious, but stuff that was all new to me and that dragged on.  I was also taking up cycling in a big way, had moved to a new town, was learning some new technology stuff, improving as a musician, and continuing in my Christian faith.

Writing stuff down to record it, reflect on it, and refer back to it has been both theraputic, and very helpful.  I can see repeated patterns of things I did that caused me injury or poor health.  I can look back over success and rejoice.  I can look back at failures and learn from my mistakes.

Doing this electronically makes referring back much easier.  But still, I could do this privately.  (Actually I do…I have a private blog that I use for personal journalling too!)

However, in sharing some of my thoughts and dicsoveries, I hope that others can join in learning and experience these things as I go along, and maybe be inspired to take up something new themselves, be it cycling, bird watching, gardening, or DIY.

A footnote on Why

My readership is small.  I like that.  And the day it gets too big I’ll probably head offline.  I write mostly for myself, but I enjoy doing so in a way that may be of use or interest to others.  I hope that you enjoy being among them.