As may have been noticed, comments on new posts have been turned off for now. And i wanted to explain why and also let folks know an alternative way to comment instead. The thing is, there is a reason "Letters from Bluebird Abbey" was the new blog title (the first title anyway lol) that wanted to be. One of the reasons i think is that "letters" are the format being sought. To explain...

I'm an introvert with a capitol 'I'. Most think of introverts as anti social but thats not it exactly, its more that they are anti chit chat. Meaningful talking means a great deal to introverts, but small talk tends to be off centering. And letters, well they tend to be heartfelt and meaningful instead, you let things ponder for awhile and then when the time is right you let the letter happen. They also happen in "letter time" vs "e mail time", and that's just feeling more right to me right now. I don't want to detach so much, i simply want to slow down a bit. So this is what i hope will happen with this blog, and honestly that is my hope for the comment interaction too.

Interaction with my blog friends means a great deal to me, its precious really. I'd miss it dearly if it ended and don't want it to. I only long to, just like with the blog itself, to explore some shifts. So here's 'the plan'...

There is now a "mailbox" where is where folks can leave comments instead, comments about any post from the original blog or also about any other topic (just be kind please) that is wished. I will definitely read them, as i mentioned they really are precious to me. They will definitely be taken in. But they may or may not be directlly responded to there, and i am hoping that that doesnt offend. It may be that instead something you brought up has been pondered and is later responded to more in a comment i'd leave on your own blog. Or some things may be repsonded to on the main blog, i'm just not sure yet. I'm really trying to feel all this out still.

Think of it like real letters in the olden days--they are written somewhat regularly so the ties of friendship remain strong, and yet they are not in "e mail time" but in old fashioned letter time--time to let things ponder and then what has stood out over time is shared. And this will be the dynamic I'll be bringing when i comment on other blogs too--i likely wont be commenting as frequently, and its not becuase i'm not reading your posts but rather because sometimes i'm pondering them over time and waiting for the point a little 'letter' wants to be written and then i'll comment. Other times sometimes something might stand out to say right away. Just like in letter writing. I hope this makes sense : )

The other layer of this is the monastic. There is a reason i call my little home in real life an abbey, as well as my blog home an abbey too, as its the way i long more to live. And abbeys have a lot of silence. Tess has been exploring this lately and has me thinking about it. Silence doesnt mean you never talk, you just dont chit chat. It doesnt mean you dont connect with folks, in fact you connect deeper. What it does mean is that you don't pop the bubble of 'sacred space' with small talk.

So...back to the "mailbox', there will be a top post for all the general comments, so please simply leave all general comments under that top post. And then under that top post there may be other posts to use for various discussion areas that come about later, like headship, keeping at home, contemplation, etc, whatever folks are interested in discussing and whatever evolves into needing a separate area. I kind of like the structure The Sacred Everyday has set up in their "the gathering room", would like to maybe emulate that a bit, and that way folks can talk with each other more too.

This is all a work in progress folks, and i really welcome feedback here. Hopefully it will evolve into a form that works for everyone : )

(Image from here)