Forests

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Blogging. What an odd activity. At least it seems that way to me; yet, I indulge.

There was a time I thought I would never have a *weblog* ~ a *we blog* ~ an *I blog.*

I don't know the history of blogging, so I just searched it and found an article in Wikipedia: History of blogging. From there I ended up at Wikipedia's article entitled Online diary.

From there I ended up at a site entitled "the online diary history project," which states:

We asked people who began keeping online journals before January 1998 to reflect on how and why they began journaling, and how they felt journals and the journaling community had changed over the years. Here they tell the story of the first years of online journals in their own words. The entries are arranged according to when the contributor first started keeping an online journal.

Fascinating.

I've so often asked myself, "Why? Why do I blog?"

I've yet to come up with a definitive answer.

When I stated to an ex-therapist of mine that I write for myself, he pointed out that isn't completely true. And rightly so, because I blog; that is I choose to make certain pieces public. Some of these pieces are very personal. Other pieces never make it to the public blogosphere.

All that said, I still mainly write for myself...even when I blog. Yes, it is a selfish act; I confess. It is for me first.

I think what most humans tend toward is for "me first." That is, we choose things because of self interest or self desire. Even if that desire is to help others; it is still a desire of the self.

A tree grows. If it is deep in a forest, it may never be seen by public eyes - at least as an individual tree. Yet it continues to grow and is always 'public.'

The tree weathers. It grows. The tree suffers. It grows. The tree provides shade. It grows. The tree provides a home. It grows. The tree's bark may bear scars of onslaughts from its environment. It grows. If the tree is deciduous, it's leaves will change colors each year, and it will bring forth new leaves each year. It grows.

The tree is always on display. Always. Yet only those who seek the forest will ever see that individual tree. Even then, that tree may not be noticed. Yet it is still there, in the open, on display.

Isn't that kind of like a blog these days. How many blogs are out here? Millions? Hmm...time for a net search. Be right back.

O.K. I'm a limited researcher, and in my brief perusal after my search, I found this post on the Blog Herald. The article and comments pose some of the same thoughts I had; especially what makes a blog meaningful? And, I'd add, how much does that really matter?

I think of visual art. What makes it meaningful? Who is to say? The old phrase "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" comes to mind. "Usefulness" and "meaningful" are in the eye of the moment, in the soul of the artist, and in the heart's interpretation of the partaker.

There are millions of blogs. There are billions of trees. There are billions of people.

Why do I blog? I think the answer is probably multifaceted. One facet, currently, and perhaps the main facet, is to give voice and (dare I add) to find my voice...whatever that exactly means at any given moment.

Perhaps that is a good enough reason.

And perhaps the reason isn't all that important, but rather the need or maybe the desire.

Reasons. Needs. Desires. All are part of being human, along with a million(?) other attributes.

Why do I like the color purple? Why do I like chocolate?

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