About

The title of this blog is based on the metaphor that we spend our whole lives watering our leaves and flowers, but rarely our roots. As in, we try to facilitate outward growth towards success — in our careers, relationships and nearly all that we do. But of course, the growth has to start internally, and at the root. If you only keep watering the leaves, they’ll dry up eventually, along with the rest of the plant. 

At some point during the crisis that ensued after graduating from college, I started thinking about the media and values we’re force-fed by society, as well as the social networks we force-feed ourselves. None of them necessarily encourage this type of thought process and reflection. We’re a generation obsessed with ourselves and with our friends’ lives. Through a combination of Twitter, Facebook and blogging, we can practically map every one of their movements and our own. Yet, very little of it forces us to say something real about our lives.

I believe in harnessing and democratizing our collective intelligence and experiences online in order to learn from those around us, those far from us, and those we will never meet. That’s where I want “Water The Roots” to come in: to display stories and ideas from people all around the world, about ANYTHING, as long as they’re honest, personal and required some thought to write.

The purpose of all this web-based idealism is to use the constant updating and curiosity being promoted by our social networks, but for good. By getting a glimpse into others’ lives and thoughts, maybe we can be encouraged to take a further reflective look at our own.

-Desiree Matloob