My mind is such that it happily wanders from here to there and back again in no apparent order or rhythm. It seems like a bee flitting from flower to flower although I have no doubt that the bees are really quite scientific about it all.
In one of these myriad flits, my thoughts alighted on this little blog space that I tend and upon who reads it and whose blogs I read. It suddenly struck me how almost everyone is younger than I, far younger in fact. I wondered why — for about a half a second — before realizing that nobody my age blogs.
Granted, that's not totally true. There are one or two out there. Both Tim and Norma appear to be my age or older, for example. But there aren't many. Most bloggers whom I read and who read me seem to be in their thirties: mere children really (take that as a compliment!).
It's amazing to reflect how the written word has the power to erase time barriers. Many, for example, read ancient spiritual text each day to fortify their spirits and commune with another reality. To them, their daily reading is totally relevant, even vital. When I read your blogs, it is without a sense of your age or my age. You are simply another mature human expressing what is on your mind.
I think it's splendid that we read of the thoughts and lives of different age cohorts and find commonality in our reflections, values, and struggles. I'm thrilled that all of you younger ones are out there because blogdom would be a pretty empty, bleak place without you. I'm not sure why you would bother to read the ravings of a BOF (Big Old Fart) such as I, but I'm pleased that you do.
We inhabit together some sort of functional community: one that doesn't replace real flesh and blood but forms some sort of an adjunct nonetheless. Although it is unlikely that we will ever meet in the flesh (so to speak), we do maintain a relationship of sorts. Kept in perspective, this BOF thinks that is a fine thing.
You have maybe a decade on me, but that isn't a lot! I, too, have two grown children (males, in their 20s), I am a "recovering" teacher, and I have been happily married for 25 years.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely blog. I actually started writing a blog about you and Cuppa back in December when I first stumbled upon your blogs, but I was never quite able to get the words out right to explain why I loved reading what the both of you had to say.
ReplyDeleteI think the thing that strikes me the most, just like you observed, is the commonality in each of us.
It is through that commonality that this PYF (Pregnant Young Fart) would bother to read the ravings of a BOF. :)
I can read about your (or Cuppa’s) daily adventures, tales, memories, musings or what have you, and see a small piece of myself and my husband. Sometimes I see us at our current age, sometimes I can envision a part of us through your writings when we too are retired. In any case, I find it amazing how life really does come full circle, and how much the same we really are all at some level or another.
I think I just read blogs because I'm interested in other people. I'd like to expand my horizon and not only limit myself to the Dutch people.
ReplyDeleteOther people, other cultures, other countries around the world, it's all just very interesting!
And why do I read your blog? I believe it's just like Karla said... Whether the blogger is my age or an BOF, doesn't really matter. I read the blogs I read because somehow I just recognize a piece of myself in the stories.
And I agree with you, the 'sort of relationships' we all keep is just awesome and would simply not be possible without this wonderful invention called the Internet.
Keep blogging, Anvilcloud!
DFYF (Dutch Fairly Young Fart)
Not Me!!!!
ReplyDeleteAs near as I can figure, the blogs I return to seem to be 40+. Still got some tread on the tires, but know where they are going. But you are right, there aren't many 55+. I think I'm leading the pack. But then, I don't know many with 6 blogs either. One who visits and comments at my blog is older than me.
ReplyDeleteWell perhaps its because I live with my MHF (middle-age husband fart) that I relate so well to you. Or maybe it is just because you are interesting, nothing to do with farts at all.
ReplyDeleteI love this blogging world because you feel like the people you communicate with are genuine friends, you are priveledged to read other personal musings, and it is international which I love.
You're not old enough, but you remind me of my dad, who died when he was 47. He might have been the type of blogger you are, had his life been happier and longer.
ReplyDeleteI look at strangers in real life differently now, since I started blogging. Their internal lives, the ones we glimpse in blogs, seem more real to me.
Anyway, great post.
What I get a kick out of is the fact that if I didn't read your blog, I wouldn't have much of anything to do with someone of your age. I mean, granted, I work with people a lot older than me, and we talk about different stuff, mostly school stuff, but they are neither interested in my life and thoughts, nor am I interested in theirs. However, even though I know that you are a little bit older than me, it doesn't affect what I think of what you write, b/c it's an open space, and I can come and go as I please. I think it's kinda cool, and I just wish I could be as interested in what my cohorts that I actually get to see have to say! As long as we aren't living the same lives, though, we are too wrapped up to pay attention! Does that make any sense, or did I just ramble for nothing?
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