Love to Spare?
Posted on 06. May, 2009 by Michael Scott in Personal Notes
This blog has been silent for awhile. First it was because I became busy with work; but the more time I spent away from this blog, the more I came to realize that it (I) was far off track. There’s certainly nothing wrong with discussing love; however, love is far more than words.
Over these last few weeks I’ve grown weary of my own rhetoric - of the blogging game in general. Once again, I found myself asking: why am I doing this? The answer is always clear: to live love and to help spread love’s message. Even if openly discussing love has been a necessary step in my personal evolution, the time has come to move beyond this point.
These last few weeks I’ve taken on more business than I’m used to handling all at once. In order to make the best of it, I’ve had to clarify my thoughts, sharpen my focus, and find a way to work more efficiently. Unlike several weeks ago, the experience has been refreshing for me, and I’ve thus far managed to avoid burning myself out. Indeed pushing myself to be more productive in a sustainable way (without neglecting my family and other responsibilities), has been very gratifying.
The experience has reminded me that I really do enjoy difficult challenges, having a full day, giving my very best, stretching and growing, doing something meaningful, and being more effective with my time. Indeed, I am happier doing more. So why not make this blog about more - more than just talk? Why not actually get involved? Why not try to live and feature extraordinary love?
Love to Spare was never meant to be a discussion of theories. After all, the message of love is not spread through rhetoric, but rather through the practice of love itself. If I myself cannot practice love to spare, or at least feature those who do practice it, then this blog is a waste of my time and yours. So that’s where I am right now. Let’s see what this blog and I will become…
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23 Responses to “Love to Spare?”
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Positively Present
06. May, 2009
Good for you for taking the time to think about your blog and why you were writing it! I really applaud your ability to think about what you’ve been doing and to make a choice to consider a new perspective. While I always enjoyed reading your posts, I’m really looking forward to seeing where you take the blog. I hope you keep writing and posting!
Michael Scott
06. May, 2009
Thanks, Positively Present. I do want to keep writing and posting, but only if my life off the blog is a better reflection of love to spare. Living love to spare is more important to me than blogging about it.
Roger | A Content Life
06. May, 2009
Michael,
It’s sound like you’re going through some serious personal reflection. Whatever you decide to do, I’m glad to hear your voice in a new post.
Roger | A Content Life’s last blog post..Meditation for Beginners (Week 1) – Introduction
Michael Scott
06. May, 2009
I hadn’t really thought about it as personal reflection. It feels like something deep inside wants to be expressed, and I have finally grown tired of keeping it locked within.
Thanks for the support.
Sasha
06. May, 2009
Can’t wait to follow you on your journey!!! Wherever you go, you will be spreading love and planting seeds…it’s just who you are.
Sasha
06. May, 2009
And PLEASE don’t be so quick to dismiss your previous blogs as “rhetoric you have grown tired of…”
I, for one, fed off of that rhetoric, and danced in that rhetoric and returned to love BECAUSE of that rhetoric…
So please…a little reverence for the aforementioned rhetoric. It was amazing and beyond beautiful in its own regard.
Michael Scott
06. May, 2009
Thanks, Sasha. You’re right. Talking about love to spare IS good, but living up to it is better. A balance of both can’t hurt.
Here I am, preaching to the choir.
Lisis
06. May, 2009
Perhaps my garden’s message was for YOU, Michael? Here’s to new beginnings and keeping it real!
Lisis’s last blog post..My Garden is Trying to Tell Me Something
Michael Scott
06. May, 2009
Perhaps it was for me?! Lisis, who are you trying to kid? I get something out of all your blog messages. They’re ALL for me!
Daphne @ Joyful Days
06. May, 2009
Hi Michael,
I was just wondering what had happened to you and whether you’d given up blogging, so I was happy to see this post in my reader this morning.
Most of us start asking at some point why we blog. I too decided that I would blog only when I had something to say. Good on you for such an honest post!
Michael Scott
07. May, 2009
Hi Daphne,
You know, I saw your post on Who Is Your Ideal Reader (i.e. the person you write for). At the time I wasn’t really sure who I was writing for. But now, reading your comment, I had a realization: I’ve been writing for myself.
Honestly, I think there’s this part of me that has been trying to convince this other part of me to more fully embrace love. So when I recently agreed to become more involved, suddenly I felt like there was nothing worth writing about UNTIL it was backed by action.
After making the decision, and especially after putting together a plan of action for getting more involved, I’ve been more at peace with myself. All that’s left now is to just do it. I have something planned for later this month that I’m really excited about. In fact, I’m sure the experience will give me plenty to blog about.
Thank you, Daphne, for the inspiration.
Name
07. May, 2009
Michael,
I’ve read all the comments so far and your responses. Sherri’s comment strikes me as full of love, and she’s right that many of us keep going because we know people are reading what we write.
I also hear what you’re saying about LIVING what you write, and couldn’t agree more that this way, your blog has more value to both yourself and your readers. After all, we can always go buy a self help book if we just wanted advice. We follow blogs because we feel connected to the real person behind the blog.
You know, when I wrote the post on the Ideal Reader, I had no clue if it would help anyone, yet you remembered it, for which I’m touched. In the same way, what you write touches people, and you may not find out until much later.
So I fully support you living your message. We can give only what we are full of, and Love to Spare comes alive when you have love to spare from living your life to the full. Then, you can blog about it when you have time to spare!
Michael Scott
07. May, 2009
Thanks again, Daphne. You’re right, time to spare is an issue too!
Amanda Linehan
06. May, 2009
Hi Michael - There are definitely times when we need to stop to remind ourselves why we are blogging. Or maybe to change directions entirely. These lulls in energy are actually forks in the road where we ask ourselves which direction we are really going in. Good luck
Amanda Linehan’s last blog post..The Rainbow
Michael Scott
07. May, 2009
Thanks, Amanda.
You’re right. It is a fork in the road, and I’ve already decided which course to take. The one that leads to love.
Sherri (Serene Journey)
06. May, 2009
Hi Michael,
I wish you luck in figuring out what it is you want to persue. I like Sasha’s comment about not being so quick to dismiss “that rhetoric”. Yes you do have to write from the heart, believe what you say on some level and *want* to do what you do. I think the message you are sharing here at Love to Spare is a great one, one that needs to be shared, and you do it in such a lovely way.
I think as bloggers we slowly get off track and end up writing for other bloggers! They are usually the most visible as they tend to leave the most comments and that’s GREAT! BUT with that there are potentially hundreds of other people that are reading your words and some are having aha moments after aha moments from the words you write. Just because some of what you write is obvious or clear to you doesn’t mean it’s that way for others (and I’m sure you know that).
I really hope you don’t decide to call it quits. I think what you (and Acooba) have here is fantastic. Just keep in mind who you’re writing for, what message you want to share and find a posting “schedule” that fits with your real life.
Sorry for such a long comment but I have been there too and then feedback (like what you’ve received from Sasha here) makes me reconsider, refocus and keep going. All the best!
Michael Scott
07. May, 2009
Sherri thanks for your continued thoughtfulness and support.
There’s a lot of wisdom in your comments.
I wasn’t meaning to imply that I would quit blogging (not anytime soon anyways). But rather I would try harder to actually live love to spare.
You are right, this blog does have some value to readers, but I am convinced it will have more value (at least to me) when it’s backed by example.
Albert | UrbanMonk.Net
07. May, 2009
Hey Mike! I was wondering where you were. Good to know you’re still around. The worst thing a blogger can do is to get caught up in a mindset of “I need X posts every X amount of days.” Don’t worry about it, go with the flow, you’ll actually have a better blog that way
Michael Scott
08. May, 2009
Hey Albert, thanks for the advice. I’m going to follow it.
David Cain
08. May, 2009
Hey, so good to hear from you Michael.
To me, your words are much more than just theorizing and rhetoric. Your posts really do have a physical effect on my moods and my outlook for the rest of my day, it isn’t just food for thought. Love to Spare is an *uncommonly good* blog, and I hope to see it continue.
I don’t know anything about you other than what you’ve written online Michael, but it’s obvious to me that you’re the real deal and you walk the talk you talk.
I know you’ll do what you’re heart tells you anyway, I just wanted to let you know I appreciate L2S on more than just a verbal level.
David Cain’s last blog post..Powerful Lessons My Mom Did Not Teach Me
Michael Scott
08. May, 2009
Wow, David, thanks for the encouragement.
I’ve been feeling “called” to do more for others for quite some time now, but I’ve been quite slow to respond. Within this context, I have to wonder: what am I doing? Why am I not doing more?
The fear is gone and still I’m standing on the sidelines. So now I’m a bit impatient with myself. Not in an angry way, but in a “no more excuses” kind of way.
My higher voice is saying “Michael, just do it!.” And well, I intend to.
Nadia - Happy Lotus
08. May, 2009
Hi Michael,
I have no idea why it is but I am sensitive to how people write what they write. Maybe it is because of my long history with writing or whatever, but I am always touched when people write from the heart. It is obvious when someone writes from the head opposed to the heart.
From the first time, I read your blog, I knew without a doubt that you were a heart person. I think you already do live with love and that you write with love. I honor and appreciate your honesty as to what you have been thinking about in regard to your blog.
Like the others, I look forward to what comes ahead and you can count on me to be there for the ride!
BTW, you are not the only one who has been reflecting. I know so many bloggers who are. I have too but from a different angle which I will post about on Monday. So maybe there is something happening worldwide? I guess time will tell.
Nadia - Happy Lotus’s last blog post..To All The Wonder Women In The World
Michael Scott
08. May, 2009
Your words are sweet as always, Nadia. Thank you.
You know, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if there was a worldwide shift taking place. It would certainly explain what I’ve been feeling. Perhaps we should all answer the call together?
Thanks again. I look forward to reading your post on Monday.