I have been blogging for fourteen years. It is a long time to be sharing my thoughts and feelings with the Cyber-Universe. The title of this blog is "Mining Nuggets: Contemplations and reflections of a 69 year old Zimraelican." The idea for the name of this blog came years ago from a blogger friend, who commented that she enjoyed reading my writing because she felt as if I was mining for nuggets of wisdom. The purpose was for my contemplations and reflections about my inner life - my psychological make-up, and for making connections between my emotional development and the importance of of relationships with children.
As I go forward into the fifteenth year of blogging and during the year I turn 70, I am thinking about changing the purpose of my writing. More and more we are learning about the value of quality relationships with children as they learn and grow emotionally. More specifically, how developing empathy is critical in becoming compassionate and accepting human beings. I become ever more intrigued and curious about why some people seem to have compassion and empathy built into their emotional make-up, and others seem to be unaware of their lacking those qualities completely. Some have developed compassion and empathy even after an abusive childhood.
What makes us more compassionate or empathic? Do we develop these qualities through life experience? Could it be learned by modeling the kindness of strangers? Can we learn it, or is it innate, inherent, genetic? These are just a few of many questions I find myself asking lately.
I want this to become one of the purposes of this blog, for I believe that I can make this world a better place, if I can help even one person become kinder and more compassionate with young children - to give them another option from the harsh worldview or cruel mind-set they will inevitably encounter as they make their way through life.
So: dear readers. I am thinking of a new name for my blog, as I set out on this new path with my writing. I wonder ... do you have any ideas for me about what to call it?
Let me know through comments to this post, or through Twitter or Facebook.
A year ago at Mining Nuggets: Blogging-an-anniversary
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