REFLECTION ON BLOGGING
“Pilgrimage may be thought of as extroverted mysticism, just as mysticism is introverted pilgrimage.” ”
Congratulations and a HUGE THANK YOU for keeping up with my blog this year for however much or little you’ve engaged. No judgment from me at all. At a deeper level, thank you for journeying with my soul’s pilgrimage. What started out as a way to process my own “stuff” and share with my community during my sabbatical has now come to an end. I’ve learned to slowly bare my soul in written words and reach deeper into the intricacies of my interiority. As such, I did not have a master plan outline for the entire year. I could not. I simply followed the map of my soul for guidance and direction, and I learned over time to capture sometimes overt and sometimes subtle nuances of becoming fully Chong. It is one thing to blog on ideas and thoughts which I have done. It is another to blog on my interior journey. At times, I felt vulnerable and sacred. Even as a person prone to a laissez-faire attitude, I have tried to be precise with the choice of words and sentences. I’ve learned to appreciate the power and the privilege of the written word, probably more than ever before.
This week will be the last entry, so I will focus on what I learned by blogging. For the remainder of the year (December), I would like to share a few poems that touched me, with no additional comments from me.
In the meantime, I will be discerning whether to continue blogging next year. . . Originally, blogging was meant only for the duration of my sabbatical, but I am rethinking that now. The practice of blogging provided a consistent and grounding discipline that has surpassed my own expectation of self-benefit.
Additionally and most certainly…
I have deeply appreciated your reflections, encouragements, and cheers. Thank you!
If you will allow me, I would like to share a few more reflections from writing and blogging.
What I write reflects the unique me. It is unique because there is no one like me. My experiences, life, thoughts, struggles, pain, intricacies, etc. all roll into who I am. Because my writing reflects who I am, it is sacred, as long as I authentically bare my soul without ego’s interruptions and distractions. This realization gave me a deeper appreciation for other similar writings I have come to ponder, for theirs is also sacred. Thus, each of our uniqueness mysteriously and yet seamlessly melds into something gloriously universal and the experience of simply being human. While my life’s experiences may be unique, there is enough humanness that ties all humanity. And vice versa. So, if we will, we can benefit from one another’s story and use that to spur each other on. This realization gave me vision and hope to write.
Though I am not a writer, I have experienced plenty of the proverbial writer’s block syndrome. There were days and even weeks where I was just not moved to write. No creative juice flowing, no connections being made, meager inspiration, just blank. I have learned to be ok with just sitting (but still sitting) and not “producing” anything. There also were days and weeks that I was so drawn to ideas, thoughts, and reflections that I simply could not stop thinking about how to capture certain thoughts or to draw out something from my heart’s well. When thoughts came to me while driving, lying down to sleep, in the middle of talking to someone, while eating, and/or while watching something, I have learned to not allow those things to pass by. What has been most useful for me though was the daily morning routine of silence, solitude, reading, and reflection.
In the 2nd half of life I am in (or at least I would like to think I am), I have come to appreciate poetry. Poetry is one of those universal reflective pastimes that forces one to slow down and to suck the marrow of life’s meaning and lessons. Having been a hyperactive person most of my life, I never thought I would appreciate poetry. I have learned to take some deep breaths and meditate on each word and stanza while not trying to analyze but embrace my own sense of intuition and interior hints. Poems “tell it slant”, not unlike parables. I find myself moving away from the so-called propositional truths (or certain set of beliefs) that tend to be more binary minded or “this or that” thinking and more toward the nuanced subtleties of gradient truths or the truths that come in paradoxes, contradictions, and mysteries. I’ve learned to appreciate the coy subtleties of the moonlight over the blazing and bright sunlight, one might say.
Last but not least, I would like to acknowledge a small 3-person team that has been responsible for producing this weekly blog. My wife, Grace, is my partner as she gives input and feedback to the content and asks poignant and tough questions. There are a number of blog entries that did not see the light of day because she told me to work on it some more. :) She often would ask me, can you think of any examples? Or can you flesh out this thought? Do you really want to say this? Etc. She would also often tell me this piece is good or really good, which I don’t take lightly. She also does all the content editing. Brittany, a soon to be spiritual director, helps with all the layout, production end of things, including scheduling. She has an uncanny ability to choose pictures that speak and resonate with my content. Her selection of photos often ministers to me. She also gives input and feedback on the content. Would you join me in thanking Grace and Brittany?!?
Have a blessed Thanksgiving!