Public and Private Thoughts

I have been thinking about why I am writing this blog and whether and how I wish to continue it. Friends have told me they enjoy it and have found it increased their awareness of life's small blessings. Others have pointed out that the blogging is for my own benefit, entirely independent of who reads it and what they think about it. Another suggested I keep a private journal on paper.

I know from several past attempts that I will not keep on with a private journal. (Nowadays my joints aren't up to a lot of writing by hand anyway.) It is the same with music - I simply don't play by myself. However, the activities that I do with others, and have kept up for decades - playing music with friends, singing in choir - are sources of unending satisfaction and renewal.

People blog, tweet and post on facebook; clearly the public expression of thoughts is widely appealing. Are we all exhibitionists? There is some innate need for connection at work, which I do not understand. Is it that we are, at heart, tribal, communal, village creatures condemned to isolation by our modern lifestyle? Or are we all egotists, wanting to strut our own ideas before a larger audience? Or is it just the newest medium of self-expression?

Writing like this certainly feels both productive and satisfying - sometimes humbling, as when I realize I have no idea what I am talking about (eg: batteries). I do like it when someone comments on a post, perhaps because it means there really are people out there and this is not a private journal.