“Write to please just one person.”
Kurt Vonnegut
This quote found its way to my ears while listening to a podcast by Tim Ferris and Maria Popova.
It found me at a time when I was questioning whether to keep my faith blog or go on temporary sabbatical.
The quote above gripped me because it made me remember why I started this blog in the first place: When I started Simplycomplicated, I wrote because it brought me joy. There is nothing like giving your thoughts a pulse and a place to live forever in this world.
But something happened along the journey as I started to get more immersed in the “blogger” world: I started looking around. All the newsletters, pinterest boards, etc. got me thinking, “I need a newsletter. relevant and timely content. buzzwords. strategy. traffic. SEO.”
What started as meaningful became mechanical as my pride and hustle began to draw me away from the blissful days of writing just to write.
I was no longer writing to please just one person (that person being myself) I was writing to please my reader.
I am thankful God led me to this podcast because it took me back to who I started this blog for: my early twenties college self. I want to touch her spirit when I write. That early twenties woman trying to make sense of who she is and find her place in this world. My blogs exist to remind her: of how deeply loved, treasured, seen, and cared for she is by God despite all the shame and smallness she might be feeling in her darkest, isolated moments.
She is who I write for and that will never change.
“I think, so much of the cultural [stuff] that is out there – not just in the internet, just in
general – comes from people who fail to understand that they
should be making the kind of stuff they want to exist.
So, if you’re a writer, write the things you wanna read. If you’re an
artist, paint the things you wanna see painted … It doesn’t exist for any other
reason than you want it to exist. I think that’s wonderful”
And so I sit here. 27 years old, messy bun, coffee breathe and all- just to say I am not finished. Rather, I am Rekindled. Reinvented. Reinvigorated.
This blog doesn’t have a catchy title, beautiful language, or a statement that puts a pretty bow on everything I just said, but it will still be given space to dwell in my humble corner of the internet because it needs to exist. To encourage my reader: Whatever your God given gift is- Stay true to it. Don’t bury it in the ground. Instead, take hold of it. It’s both your privilege and responsibility to pour goodness and loveliness into this world.
Child of God- Who are you not to live boldly. strongly. and courageously?
From my heart to yours,
Grace
