Information, judgement and the space in between

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School’s back. And that means school lunches need to be packed. Like other parents, I am quietly stalking blogs, Facebook pages and Pinterest for inspiration. On my way to finding an alternative to sandwiches, I am finding a fair bit of judgement which is in turn being met with a fair bit of judgement on said judgement. Then there is judgement on calling out the judgment. It’s a bit much when all I wanted was a recipe for some zucchini and carrot muffins.

information, choices, judgement & spaces in between

Why do we do this to ourselves? Why do we make such a big deal of something as innocuous as lunch boxes. Why do we jump to the conclusion that one person’s choice is a judgement on our own?  Read more…

The weight of life – reflections on Paris

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There is a myth that the human soul weighs 21 grams. That there is shift in weight between life and death and proof that we are more than flesh and bone. I have had personal cause to consider the weight of life, the imprint left when someone loved suddenly leaves. Wanted desperately to feel that weight. For the world to feel that weight. When my newborn son died the impact on me and those around me was immense. But to the rest of the world, they only lost a promise. A whisper of what could have been.

As Paris grieves a day of tragedy and violence, I wonder once again at the differing weight of lives. To those that lost loved ones, their grief will be acute and unrelenting. Long after the news ceases its coverage, the gaping hole in their lives will remain irreparable. They carry that weight forever. For the rest of us, watching in horror and disbelief, the grief and outrage is different and potentially fleeting. It feels heavy right now but life will lighten the burden until the next tragedy weighs upon our minds. Read more…

What can I do?

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Some posts write themselves. Others take longer. Untangling difficult thoughts. Trying to persuade them onto the page in an orderly manner. This post is one of the latter.

This is me trying to find sense in the senseless, understand the world we live in and, above all, wanting to change things for the better. So much has happened lately that makes me doubt the good, that horrifies me, that makes me fearful for the kind of world my boys will grow up in.

What can I do?

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Why I love social media

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Why I love social mediaI have been chatting about social media this month – the good, the bad and the ugly. And I wanted to finish on a high note. I love social media. I love how it democratises information. How it has created universally accessible platforms for expression and connection. How it allows like-minded people to become friends.How it brings the previously inaccessible closer. Sure, there is the trolling, the judgemental comments, the bullying and the invasion of privacy, but there are so many lighter sides to the darker underbelly.

Here are the reasons I love social media:  Read more…

The digital footprints of children

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The eyes of a child

This beautiful portrait of my youngest son is by my incredibly talented father. Click on image to see more of his work.

The on-line world knows a great deal about my boys. They have a digital imprint that took shape before they were even born – when I first mentioned pregnancy on social media. And it’s starting to worry me – what these digital footprints will mean.

I wonder, what are your security questions for secure accounts? What primary school you went to? The name of your first pet? Your mother’s maiden name perhaps? Things that no-one but you and those very close to you would know, right?

Now, if someone looked at your social profiles, could they answer those questions for your children? For me, the answer is yes. Facebook posts, this blog and other social media would easily reveal the name of our dog, where my child goes to school and my maiden name. Before they are old enough to have any kind of self-generated internet presence, my kids already have an impressive digital footprint.

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