I often have moments when I think, blogging is too much work. It takes up too much of my time. And so I make these rules for myself: "I will only post two times a week," I say, emphatically. Or, "The laptop must remain upstairs after I pick Noah up from school," I tell the dog as she looks at me dubiously and gives me a couple of uncertain wags. Or, I add with authority: "I will only read blogs when the wind is blowing from the North." Or better yet, I decide: "I will only post when it's raining - and the sun is out. And there must be a rainbow."
And then I make a new friend. I meet someone who just seems to be living my life in a way, but a different one altogether - sometimes in an entirely different part of the world. And I think, I wish I could just have a cup of tea with her. I wish, I say to myself, we could be sitting at the kitchen table talking and having a real-life friendship. Our kids playing in the background while we chat. Or just Noah, building Legos and jumping off a mountain of couch pillows while we catch up. We have so much in common, I think, and we haven't even met in person...! It's wild.
And so it is that I keep coming back. Because I'm amazed at the talent out there. And the kindness and thoughtfulness. And the many kindred spirits that I never imagined could have ever possibly been out there, without my knowledge, but are.
And I am surprised and grateful when, every once in a while, I meet someone like that. It's a nice reminder, in the middle of all the chaos, that the world is a good place after all. Because it is.
So, to those of you who have touched my life in some way through this crazy world of blogs: thank you. From the bottom of my heart. I am grateful to have met you - even if it's in a virtual sort of way. I'll take what I can and consider myself a lucky person. Because I am.
(image: little byrd vintage and handmade)