Why Don't You Show Your Faces?

In the blogging world, especially in the case of family bloggers or bloggers who write about faith, transparency is important. The silly things, the hurting things, the personal things... that's what creates connections between the blogger and the readers. One way many bloggers connect with their readers is through pictures.

You may have noticed that, unlike many bloggers, I edit our faces out of pictures.

It's not because I don't want to let readers into my personal life, and it's not that I want to seem aloof or hoity-toitey (is that how to spell that? is that even a word?). To be honest, if it was up to me, I'd have my face posted up here without much thought.


I don't post pictures (or full names, or specific locations) because of Zeke.


When I began blogging on my super-over dramatic college blog I did post unedited pictures. I was excited and exuberant and completely and totally transparent. And I had absolutely no readers. So I started commenting on other blogs, making bloggy friends... and my readership grew slowly.


I called Zeke (we were just dating at the time) to tell him the wonderful news! People were reading my stuff!


He was much less excited. He was worried. He worried that my identity was in jeopardy, that my privacy was being compromised, that I was over-sharing. 


I told him that he was overreacting, and we didn't talk about it for awhile.


But honestly? It bugged me that he was uncomfortable with my blogging. I really enjoyed my new-found voice, my connections with people I'd never met. I didn't want to give that up. I also really enjoyed my relationship with my Hunky (not-yet-then) Husband, though, and as we got more and more serious about one another, I knew that I was going to have to change my blog or eventually, after marrying that guy, I would end up being disobedient and disrespectful towards him.


So I don't post pictures of our faces, because it makes my husband feel better about my blog and feel better about the fact that complete strangers have license to read all about our lives. That's why I don't show our faces. Maybe someday that will change, but for now, no faces.


I'm sorry if that makes you feel disconnected from me. That's not at all my intention.


Just think of me as mysterious... and thank you for being a part of my life, even though you don't see my face.