Why bother with the rosy and the blogging?

The title of this post poses a question I've found myself honestly asking this year.  Not in angst or drama or from an emotional-filled place, just out of curiosity mostly.  It does feel a bit silly when a co-worker discovers for the first time I keep a blog and have for 10 years, but I suppose the real question is-why?  There are two parts to that why.  First, I've asked myself a million times lately, why even bother with looking for the rosier side of life? Isn't everyone off traveling and living their most styled, best lifestyle magazine shoot on IG all the time anyway?  Why would the world need a gal like myself who has a very routine schedule, travel kept to a minimum, and photos very far from looking styled, to speak up? If for nothing else, looking for the rosy side of life and the joy pockets feels like the painting above.  This is by far, my most favorite painting at our local art museum.  I look for this painting every single time and my girls can also quickly tell you it's my most favorite.   Can you picture this painting without the magical, bright, luminous lanterns?  I can.  It looks to me like people looking here and there, doing what, we don't really know.  When I purposely search out the joy and happy in life, it feels like holding onto one of these bright balls of light.  When I share, it feels like I've extended some light, hope, and joy to you too.  I've had plenty of days where my camera has been left untouched, my journal left blank, my paint brushes left to dry up.  Those days can turn into weeks and then months and suddenly I find myself wondering where the time has gone and was there even any joy found at all? 

(hint, there always, always was, whether it was documented or not)

THIS is why I think it does matter to bother with the rosy and go ahead and blog about it.  It simply lights my days and way to be purposeful about looking for joy.  Some rare days it's an absolute struggle, a fight almost to find a shred of happy.  Those of you outside looking in probably wouldn't ever know that.  My joy muscle is pretty strong. The truth is, I do work at this sometimes.  What I've found is that when my eyes are peeled for good my hope floats and those around me feel lifted too.  I think that matters so much in our world today.  There are so many of us who feel lonely, disconnected, depressed, and downright purposeless.  Searching for the rosy can't change all that, but it sure can make a HUGE dent in the negative.  

"You have to keep shining because it's the only way some of us can see in the dark."

(read on IG)

Friends, whether I have low blog stats or high (hint: they're usually very low), whether I have a lot of joy in my tank or not, I'm going to keep showing up here.  I just can't not.  We talked at church yesterday about our legacy and what impact our life will have on others.  I don't know all the details my life will hold.  But to have been known as the gal who searched for the rosy, allowing creativity and FUN in, lived very loved in Jesus, and tried so very hard to love people faithfully......

that's a legacy I can live with and say yes, I will "bother" with the rosy until my last day on Earth and I'll certainly keep blogging about it. 

Because maybe you need me to hold my lantern out for you too? 

My favorite author, puts this weird stage of social media we find ourselves in, so very well. 

Even as a 35-year old woman, when it might feel a little silly to confess I blog but not for money or business, just for fun.....

I'm showing up with my whole self.  I hope you'll continue to show up here too! 

(p.s.-Hi Grandma and Papaw!! My blog's biggest fans in the world. I love you two! Thanks for always reading! )