Have you bloggers out there been missing a bit of the personal relationship? Instead of calling your friends, do you post into your blog hoping that they will read and know that you need prayer or thoughts? Are you getting any emails from friends, or is the quick one-sentence comment on your post enough? Like you, I sense something is lacking in my relationships, especially the long-distance, not-everyday friends.
I have realized that that I no longer pick up the phone to call a distant friend or send an e-mail to update out-of-state friends. And I am getting fewer emails from those same people. Why? Maybe because they know what I'm thinking about or is going on in my kids' lives. And if I just click on their blog, I will discover their newest thoughts and ramblings.
This started to annoy me when I im'd my friend, Katie to see how she was doing that day. Instead of giving me details she said, "Read my blog." Really. That was it. (Now, I love Katie and she and I have discussed this so I'm thinking this won't hurt her feelings.) It kind of irked me, so I called her and she read me her blog post. So, I guess I should have just read the blog.
That story is an example of what is happening to the friendships because of the blogs. I love reading them; I won't stop posting because I love having others read my blog. I just know that a little bit more effort should be exercised in order to maintain a relationship. So, I've started picking up the phone a little bit more.
Actually, I think I came up with a new word, Blog-ship: A relationship/friendship that is started and pursued through blogs.
3 comments:
Interesting thoughts...I don't have a ton of friends, and I certainly don't have many blog readers, so I can't say that I have personal experience with this. In fact, most of the people I know probably don't even realize I have a blog. How would they?...do I just come out and tell them to read it or something? That would be difficult from me to do. But I can definitely see how something that is supposed to help people stay in touch can actually make them communicate less.
(ahem...) In my defense, I have to say that we WERE I.M.ing each other and that I wasn't going to recount my whole situation via IM. I told you to read the blog over IM, but gladly told you by phone. It takes so much less time and is much more fun to explain in person. But yes, I get your point. I am becoming a blog and IM addict. I just type so FAST and it's so EASY! Fine...no more, "read my blog." I'll try to pick up a phone now and then.
Excellent point, Katie.
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