On taking a break from blogging

It's time to pick up the virtual pen again. The break was good, both for pace, rhythm and space. Every so often though there is a topic, a text, a thought, observation or issue that wants to find itself put into letters and sentences. I've resisted at times, enjoyed the freedom to drop it at others, and been happy to have the luxury of choosing. Cyberspace has its beauty and incredible potential. It has, my sociologist son tells me, an ancient social function: that of creating a reality of its own, needed for individual and collective health and balance. When the garden was in full green and growth and the balcony was inviting sitting at the keyboard felt like a waste of time, a loss of opportunity and missed beauty. Going virtual feels stupid when nature calls and a cool but warm enough evening with a nice wine in good company on the terrasse is just here.

As a bureaucrat I am spending too much time on the computer anyway. Away from books I'd like or I should read, away from people I'd like or should spend time with, away from the earth that feeds and sustains me. What for? Who cares in two weeks about the emails I have or have not written or read? Mailboxes fill way to quick and news get old in a blink. On the other hand, I love the beautiful blogs of creative friends and of perfect strangers. I also spent time on the web recently comparing prices for car insurance and for quality of vacuum cleaners, and I ordered a user's manual for the bread machine. Very convenient. - What if we had none of this, computers, cars, vacuum cleaners and bread machines? We'd still have friends, flowers, sunsets, and, with a little luck, squash and beans in the garden. All we need, really, to be alive and happy.