As a writer, and especially as a fan of biographies and memoirs, it has been a subject of contemplation on occasion whether or not I would write about family members.

In fact, I recently read something, or heard an interview with someone who was talking about how our memories are our own, and our siblings and family members may not have the same memories, or remember things that happened in our past in the same way, but that’s no reason not to write our own stories.It has always been something I tiptoe around a little. Not that anyone in my family has any kind of crazy life that I would be exposing… I just consider whether or not things that I might want to write about could rub someone the wrong way, or paint them in a bad light to some people.

I am not afraid of conflict, per se, but I will avoid it if I can.

So, as a writer, you think about these things I guess. Whether to write about people you are close to now, or wait until they have passed, or just not at all. Bloggers have discussions about how much to share about our kids. A friend of mine even wrote about the subject, about her daughter who her blog is named for.

This month, both of my daughters both have started blogging. Pray for me.

First, let me say I am extremely impressed with their words. EXTREMELY. Holy cow. But here’s the thing. Now I have become that person who may be written about. The person who might be rubbed the wrong way. Because let’s face it – I have a terrible memory. And my daughters are not going to write about MY memories, they are writing about their own. And I may remember some delightful moment I spent with them while they are remembering a torturous afternoon of misery. It could happen.

I suppose now is as good a time as any to find out if I have done a decent job raising my kids. My mom never knew what I thought of her during my teens because all the words were written in a journal, as they should be to keep her from grounding me for the rest of my life or simply giving up and calling the orphanage to turn me over. But these blogs… there is no little key to hide to keep me out.

Aaaaaaaannd I just realized how incredibly narcissistic and self-centered it is to worry about this. Wow. That was a good place to come to. Thanks for being my group therapy session, y’all. Have a donut and see you next week.

 

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