Remembering the Dangers When Holding the Flame

The blogoshere is abuzz this week it seems with issues around "over-sharing." Over at Good Experience, Mark has posted the link of the site Please Rob Me, a site attempting to raise awareness of the dangers of over-sharing location through social media.Meanwhile, two of my favorite single mama blogs Its Better Now and Ms. Single Mama have been slammed by a Christian blogger who believes they are not good mothers, role models, whatever and are putting their children in danger by posting pictures of them and blogging about them prompting my favorite bloggers to either terminate their blogs or password protect them.All these posts give me pause. I try to be careful. I don't announce on my blog or on Facebook any upcoming vacations. I don't display addresses, phone numbers, the like. I only show older photos of my kids, nothing newer than a year old. I'm being cautious. But is that enough?I have been lucky enough not to warrant any negative comments on my blog. I have never once had to delete a comment. But its probably just a matter of time before someone takes issue with my lifestyle, my mothering style, the fact I put myself out there.And still, my objective in doing so remains steady. I wrote my book for the same reason: to help others whose life has been turned upside down from the death of a loved one to get back on their feet, to provide them that tiny glimmer of hope that it is possible to pass through grief, to smile again, to laugh even. When I was in those numb early days, I clung to that kind of hope, grasping at those thin straws that the terrible pain of grief wouldn't be forever. Oddly, in being that guidepost for others, I have become one for myself as well. What is that old adage? You are what you preach? Its a win-win.So I will take my risks on the blogging front, until I see danger or some other reason to stop. In the meantime, I hope that in some small way I am able to pass along the "strong/recovering/insane... (add your own adjective) widow" torch for others to share.