Anyone ever used Livejournal? I used it for years until I eventually grew tired of it. There it sat, all neglected in it's dusty corner of the internet and I completely forgot all about it until last week when a couple of emails landed in my inbox. One was from a spambot leaving a comment on a post I'd written years ago and the other was an update about my photo galleries.
What followed was a nostalgia filled couple of hours going through old forgotten photos and reading the blog post about the 101 different things I wanted to achieve before I hit my next birthday. It was heart warming, tear inducing and toe curlingly cringe worthy all at the same time.
I got to peer back into my past and remember what my life was like at that particular moment in time.
And the funny thing is I kind of remember that time, but not like that. Over time my memory has faded and left holes which I've filled with things that didn't actually happen. That blog post and the photos showed me how it really was, how it really looked. Another post reminded me of another day that I thought I had actually remembered quite well. Over the years I've convinced myself that the day was tough going at the time, but wasn't such a big deal at the end of it all. Reading the words I wrote on that date however has made me realise exactly how bad it got, how it has stayed with me in subtle ways ever since and has actually had a hand in shaping who I am today. In a positive way as it turns out. It's both humbling and eye opening.
Not only does blogging provide me with a way to express myself, to share my thoughts and ideas with like minded people, but I also have a golden opportunity to save my life in a way that I can return to it whenever I want. I can remember exactly what I did in a certain year and how I felt.
And the more I re-visit these posts, the more intact my memories shall remain. It will also serve as a regular reminder of how far I've come in life and how much I have to be thankful for.
And that ladies and gentlemen, is why I blog.
