It’s been a while! We’ve been busy–I’m sure you have, too. Time seems to go faster and faster these days. I’m trying to make it slow down in my own life by staying offline and (as usual) deleting accounts, old posts, and generally online content that doesn’t reflect who I am now.
Do you feel that way sometimes? We keep such excellent records of ourselves online these days. I wonder if it doesn’t stop us from growing as people a bit.
The blogging world, social media, and the Internet in general aren’t what they used to be. I used to swear I’d write–on here and for other online publications–forever, for the love of it. But part of the love of it was the community, of other writers/bloggers and of readers to connect with. Meeting people who live very different lives from you, who perhaps live very far away, was wonderful 10-15 years ago. The people I met back then made my world feel bigger and more full of possibilities. Their lives and reflections made me dream about all of the things I might do in the future.
Now I usually feel like I am speaking into a void when I write or post. And scrolling is such a time-waster and tough on the mental health. It makes me feel more negative. Like the world is smaller and everything is going downhill, all over the world. I wish I knew less about most people on the Internet these days. The only real connection I’ve found these days is offline, as I guess it was for most of history until the blip that was the 2010s.
And I can be nostalgic for the way things were, but it’s best not to get lost in nostalgia. There is way too much to appreciate in the here and now. So much potential for connection, adventure, beauty and growth.
If daily diary, hobby-type blogging ever comes back into vogue–with the wonderful people who made it what it was–I will be back. For now, JtC is on indefinite hiatus. I wish you a wonderful summer (or winter, down under) and all the best going forward 🙂
xx Claire
Today’s post is a bit different than usual, but I hope it will help someone in a similar situation.
The heavens opened up over the Twin Cities yesterday. It rained all afternoon and started up again overnight. I woke up at 5am to rain pounding on the roof, thunder crashing overhead, and… the sound of my baby crying because he had woken up, too. Sigh. 
Somehow it’s already *checks calendar* July 23rd and we are just over a month away from the beginning of the school year here. Summer is well and truly flying, and it’s more than a full-time job ferrying kids to and from activities, attempting to meet everyone’s social needs (definitely #momfailing that one all the way home…) and FEEDING THEM. My goodness, I am thankful for those free school lunches and just plain old packed school lunches when they can’t ask me for another sandwich, another orange, another cookie, or another handful of crackers because they are a mile away from the pantry!