Too Personal?

At some point, my writing goes further than I hoped to write about, deeper than I wanted to address.
And frankly, once I read it or realize that - oh  my gosh...I wrote this for everyone to see, I get embarrassed by it. No one needs to know about how I feel about this issue or that issue. It's personal.

I want to censor myself, but it's too late. Suddenly, it's out there in the world and out of my hands. It's scary and daunting and I know people will judge me. But it's also the fact that my opinion may have changed (or will someday change) regarding an issue or topic. Regardless, my opinion will forever be readily available.

Then, there's this fear about speaking out in general against something you disagree with because you don't want to cause a rift. When a pro-choice friend condemned pro-lifers protesting on campus and called them "disgusting"...I wanted to write something in response. Retort. Argue. But I didn't, because I was scared of being judged for my ideals and beliefs about conception, life, and abortion.

So, I think it's better to have written something that expressed your beliefs than to leave them unexpressed (unless it is really very personal, then you shouldn't if it makes you uncomfortable). Yes, people will judge you and criticize you, you may even criticize yourself later on...but what you said or wrote was real to you back then and it was honest and people might find strength in what you wrote.