Shrunken Earth

The internet has really brought into focus how the earth has "shrunk". This blog is a portal to every country in the world. On the navigation bar at the top is a link that says "next blog". By clicking on it, Google will randomly select a blog site for you to visit next. I enjoy browsing using that "next blog" button. Much of the time I can't read the blogs that come up because they are in a language that I don't know. Sometimes, although the language may be unfamiliar, there are pictures of places in distant lands that are striking. They usually are not of the normal tourist places, they are of places that only the natives know. Occasionally, although in a different language, I can make out enough of the caption to know where they are located.

I know that people from other lands have visited my blog as well. The Sitemeter Counter at the bottom of the blog logs the country, state, and city of each visitor to my blog. I have had visitors from many different states in the U.S., but also from several Latin American, Asian, and European countries. Those of you who have been in the blog community for awhile are familiar with this.

I bring this up to say that blogging is a window to the world. In spite of the tensions and disagreements around the globe, this is a place where cultures can be shared by normal people -- people who get up each morning and go about their lives trying to make a living and to find some enjoyment. It is a place for people who aren't necessarily in positions of power, or influence, but who are making a difference by sharing who they are and what they do and know.

There are blogs out there that represent extreme positions on many issues -- especially politics. But most of the blogs are just ordinary people using this wonderful medium to express themselves. If you are reading this, thank you. Take a minute to click the "next blog" button at the top and see what you can find. You may be surprised. You may be shocked. Hopefully, you will be enlightened.