Celebrations and Lamentations

A friend slammed it right in my face, when I asked him to critique a draft of a piece I had written.  He  demanded: Why do you blog?

I  was stunned. I set up "Grains of Sand" last November merely out of curiosity. I had no conscious intention in mind.   As far as I was concerned, I was tired of being bugged to blog and so one rainy morning I relented. I jumped into the water flailing my neurons and synapses having no clue where I am headed to or at least none that I was conscious of.

Since that day in November, I had been blogging daily. I scoured the web for topics to write about. I listened to stories of friends. I looked around me and in me.

I found my answer.

On Facebook, Louise, a friend, conscientiously posts inspirational quotes. Cindy shares Jesus.  Ken fights for Hawaiian autonomy. Antonio waxes poetry and romance.  For Ferdie,  Facebook is all about humor and laughter.

People post what they eat; where they are; what they're doing; and what they've seen and heard.  Through  pictures, links, comments and "likes, "  they share themselves.

As I write this  I hear the cacophony of  the gazillion Coqui frogs in my yard. Those tiny illegal immigrants from Puerto Rico sing only in the dark. They protest the sun's going. Sometimes they rejoice about how the sun will return.

Like the frogs, I lament the darkness stealthily creeping in the world.  Nations are racing against each other in stockpiling weapons of mass destruction. There are tons of deadly  radio-active nuclear waste that are being dumped and  imperceptibly making their way to our doorsteps. In Canada, Harp seals are  horribly clubbed to death. In India, women are brutally raped only to be violated again by society's indifference.   Mere children are exploited toiling in the sweatshops of Asia if not  gunned down in the schools of America.  I can rant, rail and wail endlessly despite knowing that my efforts are mere matchsticks ramming high and thick walls of ignorance, complacency and apathy.

On the other hand,  I celebrate new discoveries in science; greater understanding of  how technology impacts our lives;  revealing insights into the dynamics of our changing society;  and even our ability to make fun of ourselves and find humor in the absurd, beauty in the madness, or something remarkable in the ordinary --  all indispensable pins of light  worth spreading to offer relief and hope or elicit a smile.

With my celebrations and lamentations, I join the Coqui frogs.  I stick my neck out and and share myself with you.

 I blog. 

Now the least you can do for me is share this.  Thanks! :)

A baby Harp seal (photo courtesy of the National Geographic)

- Ariel Murphy