FOCUS

This blog has been quiet for a couple months.  Part of that has been unintentional; summer schedules interfere with the discipline of writing. Part has been intentional; I have observed through comments, feedback and private messages how people read what I write through the lens of their experience.  I realize that is unavoidable.  However, it has also invited me to reevaluate what I want to accomplish.  Here’s what I mean.

If you write a blog about baseball, then you write about baseball. It doesn’t matter if there is a hurricane, healthcare vote, or wall being built.  You write about baseball.

If you write about life and how we ought to treat one another, then these events will push their way into what you write.  What I found is that I started writing in response to something, weighing in on an ongoing conversation instead of creating a new conversation.

***

I’ve been given a gift.  My church has a sabbatical policy, which means every seven years I have the gift of taking three months off to regroup, re-energize, and refresh.  I walked out of my study today and will not enter again until December 1st. I feel grateful and guilty all at once.  Everyone should have this opportunity.

***

A friend of mine once said there are two kinds of social media posts: 1) Look at THIS (something helpful or entertaining) and 2) Look at ME (My meal, car, vacation, life is awesome or awful, messy, tragic, etc.).

I will confess that the next couple months may appear to be more of the latter, as I attempt to reflect, discern, and focus my writing here.

It is my hope that what I write may be of some use to others and that perhaps we can reflect together on what is important and what it means to be kind and decent today.

Peace.