I keep thinking about some of the posts I’ve seen over the last few days. Posts about bouts of depression. Posts about personal struggles – and personal triumphs. Posts calling people out. Posts mourning people who have been lost.
So often, people who comment on these posts say that the bloggers are brave. I have been thinking about that, too. Because, you see, I probably will never write a post like that here on my site. I have had my share of thises and thatses, but I will likely not share those things with you. Not here.
Does that make me a coward? Maybe.
I’m afraid that revealing too much information could provide people I don’t know with too much information.
I’m afraid that you might think differently about me, as I sometimes feel differently about people (whether good or bad) when they write very personal posts.
I’m afraid that what I would say would not really fit the professional use that this blog fulfills. I am not here to share my personal life. It doesn’t seem to belong here.
I’m afraid that the wrong person would read that post. Whatever that might mean.
I’m afraid that I would have nothing left to say after that.
There’s been a lot of talk this week about the cloudy nature of online relationships. People have been wondering if the word “friend” has lost its meaning. People have been wondering if we can really get to know each other online.
Some people respond to the online world by revealing everything. Even the most personal things, things that they might not have told their closest friends or co-workers, appear on blog sites everywhere.
I can’t do that. There are some things in my life that do not need to reside in the digital archives. There are some things that I might tell you in person that I would not tell you here. There are some things that are too sacred to me. There are some things that I would not want equated with an extra tweet or a spike in traffic, even if that wasn’t my intent.
Does that make me a coward?
Does bravery always mean revealing everything in the online world?
If that is bravery, I am a coward. Call me on it.
Image Credit: http://www.sxc.hu/profile/mokr