It is not often that this nothing consecrated Catholic hermit has a phone conversation with my spiritual father. But not long ago, he called. Among other aspects, I reported that in his letter he'd said to get the house done and get to my writing.
"So what should I write?" I asked. "What genre--one of the book ideas or keep writing on my blog?"
I added that between tending the gardens and trying to make progress on this place, and praying and trying to do spiritual reading, plus with pain fatigue, I did not have seemingly the energy or focus to write much of length.
He said he was not savvy with technology--computers, internet, and so forth. But whatever it is--a blog or whatever I can write--to just keep writing!
So I have. I have continued with the blog writing despite not knowing if what I am writing is helpful to anyone in particular. I try to go with God's flow and the Order of the Present Moment. I share personal experience as a Catholic hermit, privately professed, a member of the Body of Christ and in accordance with the institutes of the Church and the United States Bishops, an eremitic in the Consecrated Life of the Church.
Yes, my hermit life has its growth phases. Physical pain does seem to interfere with energy level, and thus my daily horarium is more a "momentarium"--whatever of each present moment the Lord allows as well as what my body, mind, heart, and spirit can do, think, feel, and aspire!
But I have been writing on this blog, not knowing if that is what the Lord desires for now yet very much knowing He understands implicitly and explicitly my temporal and spiritual circumstances. He knows I am doing my mortal, imperfect best.
The blog views have increased amazingly, setting records for views. Who knows if the views equate with people reading through the posts? Who knows if those who do read through are benefitting in any way? Only God knows. But I figure this is the genre to continue with for now, or the level of readership would not be increasing to this degree, nor would there be an increase in the number of countries of which the viewership derives.
Often in life, we do not have a means of knowing even with basic tools, the fruit of our efforts. I do not have a specific statistical means for this blog but rather have chosen a very basic modality which simply offers an overview of posts viewed, countries of readership, and search engines used.
The variety of countries represented by you dear readers--well, it is a source of more prayers from me to you and for you, plus for your countries. I discover new places on this earth, such as recently the island of Mauritius. It is fascinating that also, recently, Russia has exceeded viewership over the United States. The Lord is expanding my window to the world to people and places I might not otherwise think about!
Perhaps it would be better to not have any such means of knowing, but Google includes this with the blog site and thus it is as it is. I accept it as a gift--a means of discernment in writing as well as a well-spring of prayer intentions.
Maybe for no other reason that to discern that yes, the Lord is showing me since I asked my spiritual father what I should write--the blog statistics are a blessing to help me know to just keep writing, and to keep writing the blog...for now.
Perhaps if I am able at some point, if the Lord wills, writing other than a blog, such as writing a small book or a larger one--the Lord will let me know in some way or another. This is how He operates within our lives. He always lets us know. Had the readership fallen off instead of surging ahead rather dramatically, I would now be trying my best to write even a short book despite not having access to camera or undistracted capability to better focus on something of lengthier magnitude.
So this works. Blog-writing fits the present moment circumstances. I can't say that it is all that great of writing, not super-quality, but it is from the heart and what I can manage at this phase of my temporal, spiritual, hermit-lived life. And most of all, regarding what to write for now: the Lord answered.
God bless His Real Presence in all of us, little children, as we remember to love one another as Jesus loves each of us and all of us, no matter what.
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