Harriet the Spy Ruined It

When I was young, I read Harriet the Spy (if you don't know, it's a book about a girl who writes in her journals and they end up getting found and read by her classmates). Since then, I have been terrified to write in any kind of diary/journal for fear of someone reading my thoughts, having hurt feelings, misinterpreting them, etc. I haven't gotten over it. I think about if I died and people found them and they read about struggles with my marriage, my kids, my friendships, my work, etc. - who would it hurt?


This leads me to journaling via blogging. I read other people's blogs who reveal a lot about themselves and their struggles, but usually it involves divulging information about other people (mostly their kids). Ironically enough, it's people I don't know that I find really interesting (typically ones on adoption), and it's weird how I feel like I know them by reading their thoughts. So, my internal question is how far to take things on my own blog?

Up to this point, I've kept it more of an update to family and friends, with a bit of my challenges and excitement thrown in. So, what now? Do I keep it at the service for the privacy of my family? Or is it more helpful to lay it all out there. I know that the biggest value I see when I read others' thoughts are that it makes me feel less crazy about my own. As I think about this while I type, I think the conclusion I am coming back to is that my dialogue with God, with family, and with friends is where those thoughts belong. I know how embarassed I was when I'd hear my mom tellling her friends a funny story about me - I'm sure I'd be devastated if I heard her saying something when she was at her most frustrated with me.

I guess this won't be a juicy blog, but I promise it will still come from the heart.