The Nostalgia of Old School Personal Blogging – Vernetta Reshell- Faith Blogger

What happened to sharing thoughts without tracking to see what keywords will get you the most hits?

When I first started blogging in 2009, it was an outlet. I still remember my first post on my first blog prayingforpurpose.blogspot.com. I vented about the Principal I had at the time minimizing Black students from participating in the upcoming Cinco de Mayo celebration. I emailed it to all the Black Teachers on campus, friends and family. It was late at night. The next day I was overwhelmed by the response. People were upset they didn’t receive the link to read. Others applauded my bravery for calling out the inequality amongst elementary students. Others were not sure what to think as they feared saying anything would hurt their job or alienate them from people they worked with. That response showed me how impactful my words could be if I shared something that made people think critically about a common situation.

How sad is it that treating students differently is common?

I digress. That’s the type of blogging I miss. The type that was based on personal thoughts. Thoughts that created a firestorm or discussion in the comment section. Social media has all but made comment sections on blogs obsolete. The comment section was where you met people, had interesting dialogue and made yourself known. It was a fun time. That time has come and gone.

Am I stuck in the past?

Am I holding onto a time that no longer exists?

Probably. But in a world where so much is happening all the time and so much cruelty is on display 24/7/365 the purity and simplicity of blogging where people can find community is definitely missing. The beauty of a community where people uplifted one another, found commonality and learned so they could grow in areas that helped them thrive in life is how blogging exploded.

I guess in this age, the nostalgia of what blogging was is what I’m missing. What I wish I could hold onto. What I desire to see in a world where many people feel so alone. Yet so connected at the same time. Social media may have connected us to the world and each other at all times, but it has created a corrupted community that competes against one another while being envious and jealous. The coldness of what we experience or see online is devastating.

Can I as one person change that?

What I can do is go back to the basics for myself. And invite others along the way. Those who find it impactful to have a calm caring community will come. Those who want to corrupt it just know I don’t have any problem showing you the virtual door.

I miss the community that I built with Women Are Gamechangers. I can’t rebuild that. It was a unique time. However, I can build a fresh community I want to be part of today.

Over this year, I hope to write blog posts that you find beneficial. From those blog posts, I hope you comment. In those comments, I hope you begin to make connections. Those connections I hope will lead to a community that resist the urge to be cruel just because that’s in fashion. Cruelty will never be in fashion.

Going old school at times has its perks. In this case, the perk is community that doesn’t tie you down to a commitment because at the moment that just may be too much for some of us to handle. I’m not asking for your email to send or sell anyone anything. I’m asking for people who want to belong to a community that nourishes you in love, joy and peace to just comment below. Come back and comment on other comments. In the comment section, I hope you find a connection that brings your heart joy and adds to your community.