There are countless bloggers. Here a blogger, there a blogger, everywhere a blogger. Sheesh, I'm a blogger, at least when time allows. I wish I was better at writing more regularly. I'm always writing in my head, but getting it out of my head and into a readable format is an entirely different story. Yet, despite my mild frustration and disappointment that I can't regularly write, it simply means that I'm out living life with my family of wild things and I wouldn't change that in million years.
Over the course of the past year, as I have attempted to write more, I have found myself wondering if I should be sharing what I do share. I've stumbled upon a variety of articles that discuss sharing too much, not taking into consideration the feelings of my son with a disability, etc, etc. Honestly, I think it's a bit of the reason why I haven't written a tad more regularly - I've been questioning my writing and it's purpose.
I've thought a lot about the varied arguments of sharing vs. not sharing. I've prayed about it even more. In the end, I'm at peace with sharing what the Lord puts on my heart. Obviously, much of what I divulge revolves around our red head and our life with special needs, but I have no problem dipping into other areas when my mind goes there. & lets be frank, if it actually gets written and published, it must need to be out there for someone, right?! Not long ago, I posted something a bit sappy on Facebook and I wondered if I was being to sappy, but I opted to post. Their text was completely unexpected, as it's not someone I "regularly text" with. It was God doing HIS thing, not mine.
Why I share...
The special needs community is large, yet I have found that a large majority of us rarely "see" or "talk" to each other in person. Honestly, many of us have NEVER even met! In fact, many of us have found each other through support groups and we live in various parts of the country or even world. Despite the distance between us, we're just a messenger or text or email away from one another. Considering how lonely and isolated the special needs life can be, to be a click away from someone who "gets it" is a lifeline on the roughest day.
I share for...
Not long ago, a sweet, amazing family got slammed with significant health issues with one of their children. For me, it was bitter sweet. I was devastated to see them going through something so horrendous - you don't want anyone you love and treasure to go through such trying times! Yet I found myself a point of contact - a reference - someone in their life who "got it". Have we experienced their exact diagnosis? Nope, but we've dealt 1st hand with the slew of emotions and other experiences they were going through on some level, at some point. Because I've chosen to be raw and open about all that has taken place within our life, I was able to be there for them in a way others simply can't.
I'll share wherever...
After parenting Dylan all these years, you come to see and recognize things you might not otherwise recognize. From noticing things while out and about to something someone says online, it becomes 2nd nature to see things - both good and bad. It might be noticing someone pushing a wheelchair and you don't know them, but you tell them about Camp Attitude and their face lights up like a Christmas tree at just KNOWING a place like Camp Attitude ACTUALLY exists. Or it may be sharing with grown adults in public that the "R-Word" isn't the best choice of wording. Yes, I definitely prefer sharing about camp vs. the other...ugh.
& so I will continue to share. I will share about life with special needs. I will share about how we navigate our marriage in the midst of life's demands. I will share the good times. I will share the ugly times. & I will trust that God will lead me to share exactly what he would have me to share.