You gals really know how to make a girl feel good. Truly, reading the comments yesterday got me teary eyed.
They also helped me to see something that I was vaguely aware of, but had never taken the time to articulate. My old blog was all about me seeking validation, understanding and support. I turn to this space a lot more for help and advice, especially in these areas where I have little or no experience (ahem, personal finance) and I don’t know what the f*ck I’m doing. And sure I love a little validation when I’m frustrated with the division of labor in my marriage, but I’m even more appreciate of a fresh perspective, of new and different ways of looking at, and dealing with, a situation. It can feel like I haven’t made many positive changes in my life in the last year, but the reality is I have, and A LOT of that change came from your ideas and your support in my pursuing them.
Having a sounding board of intelligent, thoughtful women to help me through these mundane, but ultimately important issues, is incredibly valuable. This space is much more productive, in many ways, than my old space ever was, and that is 100% because of all of you. You all are as much a part of this space as I am. I might host the discussion, but you all come with your incredible ideas and make the discourse interesting. You are all why I keep coming here.
I struggle a lot with friendships in real life. It’s hard for me to get through the months and years of small talk and the tediously slow incremental building up of a relationship, when here I can put it all out there and get a meaningful response. I wonder sometimes if I can ever build a real-life friendship that will be as fulfilling as the connections I’ve created in this space (and on other people’s blogs). It’s hard to accept that I can’t have the best of both worlds, but maybe that is just reality.
I wanted to write more today, as I was truly touched by the responses on my last post, but it’s late and this first day back to the daily grind was exhausting, and this cough is wearing me down. I’ve promised myself I will try harder to log seven hours of shut eye, and my bed beckons. So I’m sorry that I couldn’t write more tonight, but please know how much your words mean to me. Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart.
Re gratitude: Back at you and your other readers/commentators. You remind me to see from multiple vantage points and help me to not get stuck seeing only one dandelion.
THANK YOU ALL
I’m glad you got validation that this space is important not only for you, but for those of us who read you.
Wishing a return to health in your household, and an easy transition back to school.
Hoping you are no longer on close terms with pink eye.
I think it is often easier for us to be open, honest, and vulnerable when we are semi-anonymous on the internet. When I first met a dear friend from the ectopic site I visited for several years, she commented that we had got to know each other “from the inside out.” I often think that I am more open and honest on blogs or comments than I am with my family and even my closest friends. It’s because there’s no peripheral stuff getting in the way. We get down to business on our blogs, in a way that I, for one, don’t with my closest friendships. Sure, I do sometimes. But not every time we meet. Sometimes, lightness and laughter and trivia are what a friendship needs. But I don’t feel that I’m missing out. I think I’m lucky to get the support and love and insight, and it doesn’t matter if it comes from the internet or in real life. In many ways, that IS the best of both worlds.