Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Different windows......

Let's talk about windows. Bear with me - my mind is dancing about today.

Blogs are like windows, aren't they. A little glimpse into or a panoramic view of our lives, depending on who you are, your circumstances, your need for privacy, your life, your family, the place you live. Community. Age. A great many factors govern the state of your window.

And windows do of course, come in may styles and sizes. One common factor is that they all have glass in them. Some though, have obscured glass, and only vague shapes are visible through them. Nothing is clear at all, from either side of the glass.

Well, here in the UK, there are still a many homes with net curtains at their windows. Houses are smaller, and closer to the road, and it is a way of preserving your privacy. Unless you happen to switch on the lights in the evening, and then the net curtains are completely useless. I can see in then, to what is concealed at other times.

Other people have got vertical blinds, which filter the view out, and the view in too. They are angled to see one side of the garden or the other or just straight ahead. Then there are roller blinds, which can obscure half of the window or all of it, depending on whether it is day or night. And curtains of course, which are closed at night.

Then you have homes like mine, where I hate darkness, and love light, so the windows into my garden have no curtains or blinds. I keep the curtains in the front of the house open till it is really dark. If people can see in, well, that is just fine.

The reason I have noticed this at the moment, is that I am staying at a friend's house for a few days, to look after their pets. They live in another part of the village. And, staying in someone else's home means you have different curtains to contend with. Window thingies. Once I started pondering windows, it sort of led to the blog link. Well, I know what I mean.

So back to the blog.

Some people use their blog as a family record, and post about their lives in detail. Open windows. Often they make it private, only accessible to trusted friends. Closed curtains. Others focus on one aspect of their lives, and seldom talk about the rest. Windows with blinds. Some guard what they say, and the privacy of their family really carefully. Almost closed curtains. Or nets.

I blog in a smallish community of lovely people, who I have grown to know and love. I have watched their children / grandchildren grow, their lives develop, and I have laughed, cried, and listened and learned from them all. Some I have got to know more personally through emails, conversations and meetings, and that has been such fun. Layers being peeled away. Blinds being opened. Or it could be x-ray vision of course. Hmmm.

I control the window here, you see. I sometimes close the curtains. I usually use the filter of blinds, so only a part of my life is visible. Net curtains too, at times. Often the temptation is to fling open the window, and let the light flood in, but then I think of my kids, and some of them are not wildly thrilled about starring roles. Or of knowing what their Mum is actually thinking. Or of being reminded that their mother is actually a person too! Some things need to be kept to myself. For now anyway.

Very few blog windows out there are open wide. Most of us take steps to protect our vulnerability, and yet there are times when I wish I could just write what burns like a fire in my heart. Without thinking of consequences. Taking precautions. Editing. Pulling down the blinds a little. A little more. More again. Then maybe closing the curtains too, to make sure that no-one can see me. See into me. See into my heart. My mind.

I want to fling open the windows. Heck, I want windows like my sister's ones, which fold back on each other, until the whole wall is open to the elements, and the window is out of the way. You see, I tend to take what people I know in real life may think into a little too much consideration. Not that I am writing about them, of course. But they read this. They recognise me in the street. I choose to write. They choose to read.

And what about reflective glass? You can't see in from outside - you just get a view of yourself. But from inside, you can see out perfectly. Perhaps this is what a truly inspirational blog has in its window. Deflecting attention from the author, to reinforce their message instead. That takes enormous talent, and I can think of a few wonderful women who fall into that category. Heaven knows how much they have made me think over the years, and re-examine parts of me I would far rather ignore.

So our windows are all different. At times, I use my wildly over-active imagination to consider what people may not be saying. I am sure most of us do this. I care about people who matter to me.

I wonder at times, though, how different life would be if we were all open. Ah well - that is life, isn't it, and living in a street with identical windows, blinds, curtains would make life very boring indeed. And I wouldn't have to use my imagination as much.

12 comments:

Needled Mom said...

So many things to contemplate!!! Great post, as usual.

Good luck at Bath this week. I will be interested in hearing what they have to say.

Vee said...

Well, talk about minds thinking alike today. And I haven't visited here yet. Okay, I'm going to link to your post because you write better than I do. :D I like the use of simile to explain a thing and you do it so well!

Crystal said...

Yes, you are so right! The filter of curtains and blinds does affect my writing and I think of my children too as I write. And the wide openness of the www makes me cautious sometimes, especially with the littlest ones. But I'm glad that I've found so many windows and have so many places to visit and so many new friends with whom to connect. Someday I will sit with you in the garden and our worlds will connect in real life!! ((( HUGS )))

someone else said...

Amazing thought processes, Linds. This was such a good post.

My thoughts are with you as you move into tomorrow. I pray you have a day filled with peace.

Fran Hill said...

I like the blog/window idea. Good post.

PixieMum said...

Like the link between windows and blogs, my daughter says that blogs blogs are peeping around the net curtains. Being very practical one of the reasons our house has net curtains at the front is security.

In our last house we had a crime prevention visit and the policeman agreed with me about net curtains. Neither of us liked them, but they were recommended when houses have small front gardens and also to prevent undesirable characters peering in.

Venetian blinds apparently are disliked by burglars but aesthetically they would not suit our dining room style. We do have venetian blinds in the one front bedroom and the back kitchen, they are down rarely, just if the sun is too much or if we are out all day. Again, security.

Of course in rooms with no net curtains I do have to remember not to go too near the window when I'm in my birthday suit:)

Have recently found your blog and am enjoying it as it has been difficult to find English bloggers.

Anonymous said...

I went to visit Vee and boy did she open the flood gates. I have read something in common in several of these blogs. Consideration for our families. I said that I would write my heart out if I knew only reader's such as yourself, Vee and some of the others that commented would read it. I have nothing to hide and nothing to be ashamed of, that does not mean I shouldn't be but I guess we all figure no one wants to listen to a whiner. I have to admit, I have stopped visiting a couple of blogs that got me down. So glad to meet you. Come by for a visit some time. Blessings.
QMM

Edith said...

I love the analogy...and confess that I usually don't write when I'm struggling...closing the curtains tightly I guess. In our home we don't have any curtains...but we live in the country and purposely designed things that way.

Enjoy. Hope the visit to Bath goes well.

Midlife Mom said...

Oh my goodness, I so love your writing! You are a very talented lady my friend!!! I think you hit the nail on the head with how we let people just peep through the blinds but for most of us the blinds aren't fully open. I know with myself there are things to be kept close and not out there for the world to read. Not that there is anything sinister, my life isn't that exciting, but thoughts and feelings that we keep to ourselves. Some people criticize me for even having a blog and talking about my life but it's my choice and such a good way to put some family history on paper. Great post as always!!!!

My Grama's Soul said...

I found you thru Aunt Amelia's attic. WHAT A WONDERFUL POST!! It has certainly made me pause for thought.

So pleased to have met you.

Jo

Dawn said...

Once again - beautiful writing! I'm so thankful you share as much as you do - and I wish we could all let it all out. Sometimes I think I let out too much, but that's the way I am!

Blessings on you today -- (Wednesday) I'm catching up!

a woman who is said...

Sent here by Vee. Great post about our windows. Mine I am afraid in blog land and in person are way too open. Oh well...I have no curtains on my real windows either, just drop down blinds that only come down at night.

I love my big open view of the real world and our world wide web view.

Glad I dropped by.