A disclaimer out of the gate.

When I posted on social media I was starting a blog, I specifically acknowledged that I do so with a level of trepidation. There are a number of factors that contribute to this, the fear that someone will think I believe my thoughts to be more important or valid than someone else's, or that I am concerned with forcing my beliefs on an unsuspecting world.

Neither of these, or the plethora of unspoken concerns could be further from the truth. The truth is that writing has always helped me clear the mechanism. The truth is that the older I get, and my body is making it abundantly clear that I am aging, my mind has only grown in the desire to learn, understand, and create change in the world around me.

The older I get, the less I know, and the more I enjoy learning. I want to know more when I go to bed tonight than I knew when I woke up this morning. I will want that tomorrow as well.

I was recently reacquainted with an old proverb that said it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. I remembered finding that proverb a few years ago, and realized as I revisited this that it was more relevant today than when I first found it.

I believe the world is getting darker. I don't know if it is actually getting darker, or just that technology allows us a view of so much MORE bad, in real time. I definitely believe it is getting meaner. What I mean by that is that we are focusing on our differences, vilifying differing opinions, speeding to judgement and majoring in the minors at a record pace.

I want to light a candle. As Mahatma Ghandi said, "be the change you wish to see in the world". We are much quicker to comment on what we are AGAINST, rather than what we are FOR.

I want to be intentional and intelligent that what I am putting out there is worth cultivating. I don't want to plant seeds of weeds. I want a flower garden. While I don't have control over what everyone else plants, I CAN tend to my garden. It's the thing only thing I have absolute control over: me. The truth is, I do a poor job of controlling that most the time.

I want to be the change in my world, and I am convinced that if I can do it, anyone can. I also believe that if we all just took a bit more time working on the person in the mirror rather than on our social media feed, well, the world could get a whole lot better, FAST.

So, a disclaimer out of the gate. I am not going to make unrealistic assurances. I know there will be times I share stories that come from a place of frustration or anxiety. But the overwhelming desire I have is when this season of writing is done, the predominant theme is one of peace and encouragement.

Topics will vary, as I am a wealth of contradictions. I am a conservative running a non-profit arts organization. I am a Christian with a liquor license (That cost me some relationships...). I have failed marriages and foolish mistakes in my past that absolutely impact my life today. I am a mess. But I am comfortable in the knowledge that we ALL are messes. I'm just being honest. I'm also greatly comforted in my belief that God is more than adequate to address my mess, and yours.

Finally, I invite you to read as you see fit. I truly pray you will be encouraged, even if you don't agree with me about a topic. I hope you will find something here that inspires you to know more of what you believe and why. I hope you are inspired in some way to know that some of us really ARE trying, some days more than others, but we are trying. I hope to share this journey with you.

peace

g