My 'outer circle'

The blogosphere. It's the oddest thing- it really is. I mean there is no other way on this planet to peek into so many other people's lives. Most blogs are reassuringly mundane. They remind us that normal is normal and regardless of the economy, politics or our own personal turmoil kids will still say horribly embarrassing things at just the wrong moment and pretty much anyone can accidentally step in dog poop.

Then there are the inspirational blogs. Those created by incredibly strong people who want to share their story as it is happening. They show us the power of human spirit in the face of pain or overwhelming odds. How people can, and do, get up and keep going in situations we can't imagine for ourselves. We pray for them. We send love and sometimes money. We need to know this- to see it in action- to believe that God will give us the strength if ever we should need it. We are lifted even if we secretly believe we couldn't carry on if it was us.

But there is a third kind of story too. One we don't initially 'sign on' for but that we live through with our faraway friends through their blogs. Because every once in a while our bloggy friends will be struck by a horrible- often unforeseen- tragedy out of the clear blue. Their mundane posts about dogs eating daisies or the backaches of pregnancy are stopped dead in their tracks by a sudden illness or tragic accident. Our hearts break for these people we usually don't know and we rally around them, if only in our prayers. And we are stronger for this too because we know that today we are lucky but tomorrow it could be us. We remember to appreciate our gifts and never to take them for granted. I've had this type of 'out of the blue' tragedy and I pray that I'll never have another episode. But anything can happen and I'm occasionally in need of that reminder.

Is there a point to this babbling? I'm not sure. But one thing I can say is that I'm grateful for the blogosphere. I'm thankful that I have a place to blurt out the stuff that's sometimes too painful or personal or neurotic to tell my 'inner circle'. I realize that though this blogging I've developed an 'outer circle' of total strangers who have or may come to know me in a different but equally intimate way than my 'inner circle'. I've benefited from their encouragement when I was immobilized with fear and too scared of to reach out to my closest friends for support. And I'm grateful- eternally grateful. I only hope that I can make a worthwhile contribution back to the invisible safety net that I can now rest assured is below my daily high wire act.