One of the new blogs I am really enjoying, Erin of State That I Am In wrote this post this week, about why people “waste their time” on the internet. Believe you me, once your offline friends find out that you spend an inordinate amount of time online, writing, waxing poetic on a website and talking to people that live in a totally different timezone (or at least not within driving distance) there are a lot of questions, namely, “What’s the point?”
It got me thinking. What is my purpose here? Why do I spend my time, behind a screen, when I could be doing any number of things?
I blog because I love writing. I love telling my story, as boring, unoriginal or lame as it may be. I get a thrill when I see that someone has commented my post to say, “Yeah, me too!” I like it when I write something I’m proud of, and people respond to it—either to agree or disagree. I like emails from readers who want to share their stories. I am more of myself because I am able to share what I am really thinking, with people who don’t know me, and for those that do to understand me a little bit better. I like getting things off my chest, I like putting my two cents into the world, both good and bad. Blogging has enabled me to WRITE, daily, for others and to get responses. No, I’m not famous or even all that “popular” in the blog world, but the responses I do receive mean the world to me.
I waste my time because I like to read other people’s thoughts. I like knowing that I’m not alone. I like having new friends that I can email, G-Chat, Facebook, Skype and Tweet with. I like that there are people who I can turn to that understand exactly what I’m going through. I like laughing on a daily basis at the stories I read. I like that I read posts that make me cry and that infuriate me. I like the fact that my world view has been expanded because of reading about those of others.
So, while some my write off my blog as a dumb project or a silly waste of time, to me? It’s amazing. It’s friendship. It’s people I enjoy and value and treasure. It’s an outlet. It’s a voice. Even if I never end up blogging full-time (a dream, seriously!) or getting a book deal or anything else, it’s been a great experience.
And? There’s no way I’ll be quitting any time soon. Sorry, y’all.
Just A Titch 
I absolutely LOVE this post. As any fellow blogger would, I suppose. Because you’ve hit every single reason why I, too, love this little blogosphere and happily devote a few hours each day to reading others’ blogs and writing in my own.
This idea of having a “virtual family” may not hit home with a lot of people, and it’s taken me awhile, but I’m finally okay with that. Because, in the end, I’m not writing for anyone other than myself. And the fact that others take the time to visit my page, to say a word or two in reply, to send a kind e-mail—hell, that’s icing and sprinkles and even a few candles on the cake.
Ah, have I told you lately how happy I am that I found this blog of yours?! 🙂
I love this post – I want to show it to people who don’t understand why I “waste all that time on the internet.”
I love that there are people all across the country that “get” me – maybe even more than the friends I see every day.
Love this post!
I couldn’t agree more with what you wrote and these too comments.
And we don’t want you leaving anytime soon, Amy! :0)
This was SO GOOD to read today, because I just blogged about how I’m obsessing a little about the behavior of this guy I used to date. I met said guy on the internet and now said “drama” is happening on the internet.
To my offline friends, this is totally silly, but my online friends seem to get it. One of my closest friends is someone I’ve met only 3x in real life but talk to everyday, and when I tell people who are not into the internet about it, they act like I’m making it up that I have good friends that are miles away.
This is exactly why I blog.
I swear that people who say, “I’m waaaay too busy for blogs/Facebook/Twitter” are just not technically inclined, and secretly jealous of those of us who are. I always counter with the fact that you only spend the time that you *want* to on there, but they still refuse to try it.
I love this. I think I could’ve written it. Just perfect.