because this is what it's all about

I have this problem where I don't really like to comment on blogs. I've been trying to change this habit with my friends' blogs, at least. If I catch myself thinking of something because of a friend's post, I now try to comment and tell them. But strangers' blogs? Uh-uh. I'm not really into the whole "make friends with other bloggers you've never met except through the internet." I have nothing against it, it's just really hard for me to feel like I have any right to say anything to someone I don't know. 

Especially if I disagree with them. 

I have no desire to point out people's flaws to them. That seems so ridiculous. I don't know how other people get so riled up about a blog post and feel like they have to tell the author they are the worst, most evil person to walk the planet. Same goes for Twitter. Sure I read things on the internet that I don't agree with/offends me but I just stop reading, I don't need to make the author miserable! People are people, people. Everyone thinks differently and it's totally ok. And everyone has feelings that should not be hurt, no matter what else is going on. 

This is why I kind of hope that my blog is never widely read because with large readership comes negativity and readers who insist on telling you all the things they hate about you. I don't know if I could take that. So those of you who are reading this, thanks for always being positive or, not saying anything.

Besides the whole negativity thing, I read a lot of blogs. And if I were to comment on all of them, it would take me all day. I realize that if I ever wanted my blog or etsy shop to be big, I would probably need to A. step up the quality and B. network by commenting. But the idea is so daunting that I think I'd rather just take a nap. Forget the internet! I'll just read exclusively books.

Still, yesterday I had an a-typical experience (for me). I stumbled across a blog many months ago because the author had posted her baby's beautiful nursery. I had copious amounts of nursery envy and so I started reading her blog. Yesterday she wrote a post answering readers' questions and one of them was about her faith. She wrote a beautiful and honest post about what she believed in and what aspects of religion she struggled with. She's a strong Christian and obviously I really related with her on that. And the things she struggles with really touched my heart. So what did I do? I commented! Can you believe it? On a stranger's blog. I told her that I was grateful for her honesty and her openness. I told her I feel similarly about Christ, that He is our Savior and Redeemer. And then, I told her what I believed. That God gives us trials for our good and that He loves us. And that we should never doubt that love even if we don't understand why we are suffering so greatly at a given time. I directed her to this talk given by Elder Holland about what we can learn from Liberty Jail. I bore my testimony. I gave her my email address so she could contact me if she wanted. And I told her that I just wanted to share something that maybe could make her happy, but even if she wasn't interested, I appreciated her faith.

It was a long comment. 

Even if I never comment on another blog again and even if no one reads that comment that came from my heart, I felt such love from my Heavenly Father as I re-learned what I was trying to share with her. It was totally worth putting myself out there, even if someone emails me about how much they hate what I wrote. Because sharing the joy I feel from the gospel of Jesus Christ is more important than anything else. So if you didn't know what I believe in before, I hope you do now, too. And if it makes you angry, that's ok. To me, the internet is all about sharing. So I'm going to keep sharing the good.