has this happened to any of you?
since i’ve been writing a blog (i started the “so grateful” blog a little over a year ago), some of my perspectives about people have changed. for almost a year now, my closest buddy (my bestee) is one of my bloggy buddies. but i don’t think of her as a bloggy buddy. she is my best friend. and i am her bestee. we talk every single day, multiple times. it feels like i have always been very close to this friend. i have never felt closer to any friend in my life. and there are a couple more who i have also felt lucky enough to scratch past the surface with, too.
this never really occurred to me until recently (this year i guess). i have “on the surface” friends and acquaintances (too many of them) but i rarely let very many in past that surface. i am plenty friendly, but i don’t think i want to get to know too many people .. deeply. that’s a huge investment of time and heart and effort. there’s only so much of me (of you) and i have a full plate with my family life, church life, and work life, and hobby life. there’s only so much of me. i love having certain people i adore here, but i would say that the people i call friends here, i don’t scratch much past the surface. i love running into my people here occasionally but there is nobody here who i want to see and visit with all the time, like daily. i like having plenty of my own space and i love just seeing some occasionally. am i making sense? but since i have been writing this blog and gotten to know a couple of my favorites, i realize something. when i really want to share something (the good and the challenging), the ones i want to turn to first are those who i met from the blogs who i share emails and phone calls with. i think of these three in a totally different category. when i want to share something, i want to share with one of them or all three of them first. i feel close and comfortable. getting to know someone through writing and calling is so basic, so neat. neater. like back when people took pilgrimages and wrote each other to truly get to know each other. this is comfy. how is that possible that you can share more in writing than in person in some cases? this surprises me. there’s no hiding when you put your heart out there with all your thoughts and feelings. you can be in the same room with someone but you can be escaping and not really feeling like you are there. miles do not separate hearts that care and know each other. i had no idea that i would get to find this kind of treasure by deciding to write a blog. and each of these three special friends made first contact with me, i did not find them. i’m glad they did. i’m grateful that i let them scratch past the surface with me.
i never really realized how much i keep most people at surface level until i met these three awesome blogger friends who i don’t think of as blogger friends. i just think of as my friends who i usually turn to first. i never had any sisters by birth who i felt close to, but i like to think that this is what it must feel like to have close sisters, close friends, who just happen to not live close to me (in the east coast and the mid west).
one blows my mind all the time (often … daily) with her caring ways and affection that she pours on me. one blew my mind this week how she told me she wished we lived closer so she could help me right now (because my old back injury has been acting up again bad .. very owie). and one blew my mind this week because she told me i am the only bloggy friend who she talks to on the phone (i had no idea). i hope they can see themselves in this post without me mentioning them by name (don’t want to embarrass them) but want them to know i appreciate them.
thank you for enriching my life, beany 🙂
PS. if there is someone you want to scratch past the surface with, i sure encourage and recommend it. you might be so happily surprised at how your heart will swell. and i guarantee if it works, you will have more smiles and laughter and heartfelt moments in your life than you did before.
PS. “wherever you go, go with all your heart.” — by confucious
Awwww! Scratch scratch. I think back about how I found your blog and I am so glad I stumbled upon you.
hi lena beana ~ hi sweetie. i remember! that was so cool how you found me and made contact with me because you saw my bloggy listed as a favorite on somebody’s blog who had never contacted me ever. that was wild. you are a dear. so glad to have your little treasure in my life.
scratch scratch, beany bear 🙂
I think blogging is amazing in that respect. For me, it is often easier to pour out my feelings in writing than actually talking it out. I have met some amazing friends through blogging and for that I am grateful!
Wow… Beany you are awesome. I am amazed how much my new friends that I’ve met blogging have become important to me too. I no longer say ‘my blogging friends,’ it’s just friend. I’ve enjoyed our calls too.
scratch, scratch, TARa 😀
hi amber ~ me, too. you were one of the very first bloggers who i met when i started all this. always a treat to hear from you. you crack me up so often. i imagine i would have a hard time keeping a straight face in RS/enrichment with you. hahaha. and your recent blogher roommate story still has me snickering. i like pouring out my heart in writing .. and in talks with certain people, but i think i like both writing just a little bit more.
thanks for coming by today, kathleen 🙂
hi TARa ~ awh, thanks girl. it’s awesome. i’ve done the same thing, too. love our phone calls. thanks for being a dear.
scratch scratch, beany bear ((hugs)) 🙂
I find that as blogging friends are “different” than everyday face to face friends, but they can be / and have an important part in my day. I laugh, smile, think, and even share saddness with those on the net every day.
When I cannot blog, or just have no time to be on-line …. I really miss it.
You are one of my favorite commenters!!!! I love having you “over for blogging coffee” 🙂
I am just a bit toooo odd for some.
See you later,
Eric
I made the first video at 11:00 PM, and have neighbors down stairs …. ha haaaa!! The volume was really low.
hi speedy eric ~ thanks man. i get a kick out of bouncing comments back and forth and back and forth with you and wendster. that is silly and funny when we get on a roll like that. but it is neat that you are a bit odd. and you’re not afraid to be silly and wild and express it. those who can’t handle it, you don’t need them anyway. just keep being your unique self and you will always be happier. and i know what you mean. sometimes when i don’t have the time to visit and read my favorite bloggies, i miss it. when i am in a cruddy down mood, what often helps lift my mood is to read my favorite blogs. it is a natural high. thanks for being so fun, beany 🙂
So who said what? I wanna know!!!
I was GOING to comment last NIGHT, but stupid hail and thunderstorm stole my power. That’s right, -I- have power, and it was temporarily stolen. Then I waved my hands, said ‘Ta-da’, and it came back. Not really, I was just being silly!
*scratch-scratch* Hey… it’s a good thing we’re not guys and scratching balls. Ugh, I groan at my own jokes. hahaha.
Love you sweetie!!!!
P.S. I like Tara and Lena too!
hi sue bear ~ you know, my bestee. glad you got your power thingy back. you know what my friend? scratch scratch, beany 🙂
I get this. I am the also type who only has a select few deep friendships that I ‘scratch past the surface’ with. I got to spend a lot of time with my very dearest friend yesterday, and I cherished it!
I’m glad I’ve gotten to know you online. I agree–I love my bloggy friends. Even after living in my current town, I only call two people “friends.” Many acquaintances, but only two friends.
For me, it’s easier to write than it is to talk…things come out of my fingers better than out of my mouth. Hmmm, that sounds kinda weird.
I’m back from vacation. Ahhhh.
hi dysf mom ~ hey, that’s really awesome that you got to spend time with one of your close buddies who you do scratch past the surface with.
hi angela ~ amen sister. and the way you worded that last part made me giggle.
ttfn, kathleen 🙂
Skritch skratch skritch skratch … meoooowwwwwww! Strummming on your screen door with my little kitty paws.
I could very much relate to this post. I always hold my tongue about this, but since you ALREADY said it (lol!) … it’s like I LOVE people and LOVE hearing from them and etc. etc. etc. … but I start to resent them if they want a chunk (substantial chunk) of my time. I am especially grateful for my blogging friends because it works so well with my schedule. They know, I hope, that I love them … and they know I will write when I get a minute … and that I look forward to checking in. Absence doesn’t mean “don’t love ya” … just means busy.
It seems to me like you really understand that, and that’s what makes us (for me) such good blog buddies. You are always happy and friendly and ready to send a playful response, and I always look forward to reciprocating and push things out of the way as I can so I can make it back to blog land to spend more time here.
Love ya Beany Baby Beatlemania manna banana!
Hugs from your Wendster
hi wendy bendy ~ awh that’s adorable. scratch scratch. i like what you said. i like how you check in with me occasionally sweetie. yes, you are a great bloggy buddy. you are a blast. i always love hearing from you. you rock, beany 🙂