The Trouble of Record Keeping

The trouble with the way a blog works is that you have to strike the proper balance between certain forces. Not too long, not to short, is it about an event, or about a feeling, am I telling a story, recording some facts, or offering advice. I've been rereading some of our travel posts and the problem with them is that travel is when I feel most in the moment. When we travel, I am there. 100%. Then we get back, and the millions of firings in my brain, all the sensory input and feels and doings, it's too much to record.

How do I explain the weight of the struggle I feel in telling Gwen enough, but not too much (she is only 6, by God!), about the history of what the different places means? How as people we are good and evil and inherently flawed -- we attempt good by putting these beautiful sites aside, but we made them into pristine nature by kicking out vast groups of people who called these lands home, and they're much better stewards of them then we are. In those moments I feel the weight of their history as real as the incredible beauty in front of me.

Alien landscapes of geysers, towering red rocks, and deep canyons.
Blood shed, tears, hope, and misunderstanding.

How do I explain the love I feel watching my daughter hike the trails, and the frustration I feel when she complains about wanting to stay at the campsite all day and play with action figures? The cool chill of the air at night, which is the reason I love autumn/spring camping so much better then mid-summer camping? The smell of the campfire and the sound of its crackle, which makes me feel as safe and comforted as almost anything in this world?

I sit down and write 3000 words with 20 pictures, and its already so long. I hit publish because I want to have it recorded, but I know that its missing so much.

Travel is just the most obvious example of this, but its a problem with plenty of writing. How do I make the story as complete as possible while still respecting the privacy of those around me? How do I say what I want to pour out onto page while still recognizing the sanctity of certain moments?

This, my friends, is the trouble with online record keeping.

I have no answers. Just the drive to keep trying to get a little closer.