“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” ~Marcel Proust
On Thursday evening I sat – more like splayed – on the couch in a suite. Everyone else was milling about over wine and cupcakes the size of my noggin. The laughter was plentiful and despite the din I was having a peaceful, contemplative moment. Alana came to check on me.
“Are you ok?”
“Yes. I’m just…I’m thinking.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. It’s just that these people…they’re all here and all day I’ve seen these people that I genuinely adore. I’ve gone from gathering to gathering and I’m just happy. I have these great friends and people in my life.”
She paused. “Well, I understand. Especially after college when you don’t know how or when you’ll ever make close friends like that – you know, good friends – again.”
“I’m terrible at making friends. I have like four at home. And I never thought it would happen like this”, I replied with a wave around the room.
“You found the spice”, Alana said. Then went off in search for more wine.
The following evening I was doing a quick interview and let’s just say that I’m terrible with the public speaking. So instead of saying what I really wanted to say there was more blathering and wild gesturing and lots of “um” – ing. What I wanted to say is this: If you had asked me five years ago when I started this here little blog o’ mine, what my site would be like in five years I would have said – and I quote – “fuck if I know”. I probably would have shrugged and figured that in five years I wouldn’t be here in five years. It’s just a fad, I would have said. I’ll probably be bored in five years and moving onto something else. I wouldn’t have imagined all of This and all of you. What I meant to say in my interview is that I love blogging because I love that these women are nothing like me, they live in all corners of the country and yet here I am with them and so very happy. I adore them and this has been far more than I ever could have hoped for.
I’m full of pithy cliches right now but it’s all true. And you all have been pretty fucking fantastic. I’m having way too much fun in this space and I have you, my readers, my people, to thank.
So cheers and here’s to five more.
9 Comments
It’s so true. What Alana said about after college and wondering if you’ll ever have friends like that is SPOT ON!
Obviously my non-blogger friends at home don’t get it. It’s just something you don’t understand unless you are in this community. But I love all my friends I’ve met through blogging. I feel like they get me more than some other friends. And they feel like a second family.
Love you!
I think the blogging class of 2005 is something special. Congratulations to you! (And I’m so happy to have finally met you in person, even if you never did hug me. Do you hate me? HA!)
So well said. May I say “thank you” for being here?!
This is sweet. I recently heard someone say, “The reason cliches become cliches is because they’re true.” Rock on!
Alana always has the best words.
I’m glad you had a good conference too. I turned around in amazement on my first day and said it was just unbelievable how when I go to this thing there are people whom I love and am happy to see in every room. It never stops. It made me feel very lucky, and like I’d done the right thing by just continuing to show up and say yes to meeting and communicating with people.
2005 was indeed a very nice vintage.
There are very few blogs on which I read every post, but I’m certain I have read every one of yours (at least in the last three years). I enjoy it here. I think you know that by now. Here’s to five more! Cheers!
I’m good at making friends. I’m lousy at keeping them. I’m so grateful to have made and kept so many thanks to blogging. Especially you.
BlogHer is all that and a bag on your head. Still in a funk that it’s over for another year. Deep sigh.
Truth.
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