It was the early 2000’s and Google had just acquired Blogger.com. It was the first time I had heard of a free platform where anyone with a computer, internet connection, and a story to tell could self-publish. I remember how excited I was creating my account, setting up the home page and choosing the template for my blog. I’m from Michigan so of course I chose the Lighthouse theme.
Then it came time to name the blog. I sat there trying to think of the most clever and brilliant name I could think of. It had to be something epic that would be lauded the world over. How could it be anything less? I was finally going to write my stories for the world to read and the name had to match what I was certain would be a cataclysmic impact that would forever change the world.
After what seemed like an eternity and a constantly growing sense of overpowering frustration – I noticed something. An asterisk with the words “this can be changed later” next to the Title field. The weight of the decision suddenly lifted and I quickly wrote out what I was thinking in regards to a name for my blog. “It’s Only Temporary.” I’ll just change it later.
Then something interesting happened. As I wrote my blog and shared my insights and troubles with the world I started to realize that the stories I wrote that were so earth shattering at the time I was going through them ultimately were not so once enough time had passed. As the months and years passed I noticed this trend continuing over and over again. The things we think are the most devastating are often “only temporary”.
The haphazardly written title for my blog suddenly carried within it an innate lesson that I had no idea I was going to learn. This life and everything in it is only temporary. No matter how bad things may seem, given enough time you will find your way through to the other side. You may be a little more battered and bruised from the journey but you’ll also be a lot wiser.
Those lessons and the wisdom we gain through them are invaluable. I came to realize that those stories are more worthy of writing about than any fiction I could ever dream up. When looking back at the reason why I wanted to write my blog in the first place it made complete sense that it took on the form it did. My writing started to have meaning and purpose. It held the possibility to actually effect change in the lives of others. Something I have always wanted to achieve through my writing.
Though the name of my blog has changed from time to time and eventually transformed into a webpage with my namesake, everything I have ever written with the goal of sharing an important lesson I have always written as though it was for “It’s Only Temporary”. I would strive to tell each story so that it would in some way reflect the lesson that name reflects.
Ultimately those three words have become my personal mantra anytime life decides to kick me in the nuts. As I am staring down a milestone birthday next month I have decided to return to my roots and dust off my blogging skills to bring new life into “It’s Only Temporary”. Who knows how long this iteration will live. Perhaps this will be the final iteration of these chronicles.
But then again . . .
BRANDON KELLER.NET 