I keep reading posts about how everyone only shares the shiny pretty parts of their lives. Posts about how we have to stop comparing our lives to others, because all the others are only sharing the best parts of theirs. Posts about how we should be real with each other, we should share our dirty dishes and too-full schedules and family spats. Posts about boycotting Pinterest because it just makes you feel bad. Posts about featuring our imperfection.

And every time I see one of these posts flying around all viral-y, I sigh quietly. Because the internet I know and love and have chosen to dive into? We’re not sharing perfect. We’re sharing it all. The good, the bad, the really bad. The internet I know and love is not hiding.

She’s sharing about her incredible depth of loss, three babies later.
She’s writing to us after each publication rejection.
She’s hating her Whole30 but is pressing on in the name of health.
She did post a photo of her sink, full of crusty dishes.
She’s telling her fears of attending a conference, afraid she won’t be welcomed.
They’re searching for a home and it’s been a long, long time since they’ve lived in one.
Thanks to Pinterest, she found a chore chart that doesn’t make her kids roll their eyes.
She’s struggling with weight loss and writing each step of the way.
She had a hard time keeping her patience today, and wrote about the moment she lost it.
Her scars are right there, made public for all to see.

My internet isn’t about perfection. It’s the first place I was able to voice my real. It’s always been about sharing our real, about keeping a gate flung wide to welcome in others, about using our voices to give others the courage to use theirs. It’s always been about sharing our stories, about giving God room to make beauty from ashes, about learning to write when we’re terrified but can’t fight the pull of the keys.

The internet I hold dear has never been about showing off perfection. I don’t see a parade of perfect on Facebook; I see you. Good, flaw-filled, lovely and wonderful you. I am so grateful for you, and I love my internet =)

-anna
{girl with blog}

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