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So here on the Sandbox Writing Challenge we’ve just finished over a year’s worth of writing prompts from Roberta Allen’s book “The Playful Way to Knowing Yourself.” I’ve been sitting here reading through everyone’s Sandbox posts and I’ve been amazed how many words and feelings people have shared over the last year.
I’m guessing a lot of folks figure doing a blog is going to end up being a sort of solitary endeavor. They hope, of course, people will read what they have to say because they’re feeling so many things and chomping at the bit to get all those emotions down in writing. They may want others to agree with them, disagree with them, be amazed by them, feel sorry for them… Geez, there’s any number of reasons to start a blog.
Some bloggers really want to find people of like mind they can converse with. But they may ask themselves how much conversing you can do on blogs? Well after reading back over this past year’s contributions to the Sandbox, I’m here to tell you can do a LOT!
And it’s important to remember that ALL your words and ALL your feelings matter. And when you read someone else’s blog posts, THEIR words and feelings matter, too. When someone pours their heart out about anything — good, bad, ugly, even CREEPY(!) — what they have to say is due a great deal of respect. Especially when it comes to what they feel.
So next time you read someone’s blog, slow down and read it with the same kind of consideration with which you would like others to read yours. And don’t just hit the bloomin’ LIKE button or ignore it all together. If what they said is important to them, it should be important enough for you to leave a comment.
I never thought I would come to find such wonderful folks and get to know them so well on Word Press. Boy was I wrong. To all you guys who added so much to the Sandbox, you are freakin’ amazin’! KEEP WRITING!!!. 😀
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Humans aren’t as good as we should be in our capacity to empathize with feelings and thoughts of others, be they humans or other animals on Earth. So maybe part of our formal education should be training in empathy. Imagine how different the world would be if, in fact, that were ‘reading, writing, arithmetic, empathy.’ (Neil deGrasse Tyson)
Colette B said:
Hi, Just catching up on reading a few recent posts but gotta dash back to real world to-do-list having enjoyed a quick break with you here – I can’t believe it was March when I last managed to post for Sandbox (or anything much else) and I’m still in slow-mode and getting there eventually, hopefully reviving my blogging habit sometime soon. I’ll have to post later for this last prompt, join you in the review and work through again catching all those I missed 🙂 Looking forward to getting back to read your Seeker series from the beginning and catch up with your other wonderful writings too. You’ve been an amazing challenge host, made it interesting and your commitment and support has been wonderful. Thank you 🙂
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calensariel said:
Hey hon! How are you doing? You disappeared for so long we were getting worried about you. Everything ok? Please, please, PLEASE don’t feel like you have to catch up on all those challenges. We’re going to start a new book in September. These challenges weren’t meant to be such a chore. I just figure folks will be drawn to the ones that are significant for their lives. So chillax, girlfriend, and just get your bearing. {{{Colette}}}
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janebasilblog said:
I’ve read through all the comments and anything I have to say is pretty well covered. Blogging takes us on an awesome journey if we choose to travel, though it’s been an entirely different journey than I expected. It’s exceeded all my expectations by miles, and I’m a richer, happier person for it. There are few people in my vicinity who I connect with the way I connect with some of you guys. When I talk about it to the friends who live around me, I think they pity me – they figure I must be lonely if I have to rely for friendship on people I ‘ve never met. But we meet on another plane. It’s a meeting of minds in an empathetic community, and I love it 🙂
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calensariel said:
I think you said it perfectly. We’re on another plane altogether. Good thought!
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janebasilblog said:
I’ve never felt such fellowship…
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calensariel said:
The Fellowship of the (um…) Ping!!! (You know, for pingbacks?) Perhaps we should all get a tattoo? How about THIS???
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Janet Thomas said:
As you can probably tell I’m catching up on my WP reading. Sorry I missed this post but glad I have seen it. Couldn’t agree with you more; blogging has, in so many ways, opened my eyes. I didn’t know what to expect when I started but I’m so glad I took the plunge.
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calensariel said:
I think people who don’t blog, who have never really looked into what a blog is and how it works, have a lot of misconceptions about blogging. I know I did when I started this one. It truly is a whole different world. I must admit I was really nervous at first. Especially when the thing sat there for four months with hardly anyone reading it! Thank God for Blogging 101!
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Janet Thomas said:
Heartily agree about blogging 101! It got me rolling too.
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LuAnne Holder said:
I so appreciate that you promote conversation on your blog, Lady C. I love to comment and I love it when people comment on my blog, but I love how you actually ask questions for people to ponder. I have met so many wonderful people because of the conversations you inspire. Thank you.
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calensariel said:
If you’ve met people because of that, that is music to my ears! Blogging 101 was just such an eye opener for me when it came to how to get to know people on the blogs. It does take a lot of time to comment, but it makes some beautiful connections. 🙂
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spiritualdragonfly said:
WP had definitely opened my eyes…so many of y’all have made me think, made me laugh, made me cry, think and feel……your words and stories, powerful stuff.
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calensariel said:
That’s so true. I’m not sure I expected to actually LEARN anything about anyone else when I started this blog. That was rather naive on my part!
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spiritualdragonfly said:
The sandbox gave us an outlet..a sort of safe haven to unload….at least that’s how I viewed it. Funny I could think of WP as a safe haven when I’m putting myself out there the way that I have, but I’ve been met with such kindness, and again, it’s been therapeutic.
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calensariel said:
You have had such an amazing journey on here. Who would have thunk it? 😉
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spiritualdragonfly said:
Not I…..but I’ll be forever grateful for it. I’m not the same woman I was a year ago…
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Opher said:
I find that writing down my thoughts on a blog ends up upsetting a lot of people. I like to argue and a number of my posts are contentious and probably offensive to some. But what is the point of blogging if you don’t express what you feel? I think we all suffer from our emotions getting in the way of logic on occasion.
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Safar Fiertze said:
I would just think – that’s their problem, not mine. I think being upset by what someone writes requires some self-examination as to why, and if you think the person is really wrong – then a bit of socratic dialogue is good for both parties.
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calensariel said:
I agree!
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calensariel said:
True. But Opher, please don’t apologize. WP is just like TV. If you don’t want to read the stuff, you can switch stations! I mean blogs!!! 😀
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Soul Gifts said:
That’s a mammoth undertaking reading a years’ worth of posts. I bet it was interesting 🙂
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Safar Fiertze said:
That was my first thought too! It must have taken you ages Calen. And very considerate too.
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calensariel said:
What is interesting is the common thread that winds down through so many different ideas. (I didn’t get them ALL read… I think that would have taken forever. LOL)
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Soul Gifts said:
The theme/prompt would have woven them all together I expect. A bit like a rich, written tapestry of life 🙂 Would be interesting to put them all together into a book!
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calensariel said:
Now how awesome would that be??? 😀
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