Last month Lisa introduced me to Jeanie, who lives and writes in my city and whom Lisa has known for twenty+ years. It has been lovely getting to know Jeanie online and then maddening to realize that we'd been at the same show of 9 to 5 but missed meeting each other and then a bit amusing to realize from a casual comment about a fundraiser for local transitional housing that our partners are in the same bicycling club. We do have concrete plans for a blogger meetup in April, but I suspect/hope we'll bump into each other before too long.
As if all this online excitement wasn't enough, my week was sublimely elevated when I received J's lovely Mary Cassatt postcard in the mail. It took me back to when J visited the Cassatt exhibit as part of her birthday celebration in soft December sunshine in California. And as our Michigan temperatures climbed out of freezing this weekend, it felt like J's card was weaving a benevolent influence.
I was thinking of the ways we are all connected in millions of ways as I was coming home yesterday from visiting my sister's school friend, who is in some ways an intrinsic part of my sister's inner circle and community and hence mine on some level.
I love all the stories we know about each other, all the ideas and hopes we get from each other, all the ways we know we are not alone in this world.
Pic: The spectacular sunset on my way home yesterday. Our world can be so beautiful.
22 comments:
I remember being in grad school in a feminist media class in the early days of the internet. We read a Zillah Eisenstein essay about the ability to imagine this new space (LOL) as something separate from neoliberal patriarchy, and then the professor asked us to work in groups and think about what that night look like. My group imagined a childcare co-op, and we talked with 22-year-old passion about the importance of offline connections-- and that really is still the best part of the internet for me. (Outside of those super handy targeted ads, of course) (**sob**)
Nice.
Every time I see a sunrise or sunset I feel a sense of peace- oh yes, everything WILL be okay (er... eventually.) Love this photo, and I love this post. It reminds me to reach out more to the people in my life!
This is what so many people need to realize--Small Things Do Count, and The Ripple Effect Is Real. There are millions of connections between us, and we can make millions more. The world can be better because of it.
You are a very connected person and that's a blessing.
I kind of imagine that in person you might be a little like my mother-in-law who can get a person's life story out of them within a couple minutes of meeting.
I love that you and Jeanie were both at 9 to 5! And then to find out your partners are in the same cycling club! I'm glad I could connect you two and I look forward to all 3 of us being together in April!! Jeanie a gem of a person!
The world can be quite small at times in the most wonderful ways!
I feel that we are supposed to know each other! First, Lisa. Then the play and then the cycling connection. I can't wait till Lisa's visit and hope we connect before then.
The world is so small, isn't it? Sometimes I like to think of all the times I've passed a bloggy friend in the world and not known it - at the airport, the mall, or whatever. It makes me feel happy.
<3
This still feels like such a space of possibility most days... I love the childcare co-op idea!
And there are big spaces where I've seen that sort of community coalesce (Dooce, Jezebel, CupOfJo, etc.)
Thanks!
Thanks, Jenny! We don't have any West-facing windows... so I miss too many sunsets and all the attendant beauty and hope. I should go outside more.
It's your kindness principle in action, Nance <3
Steph--that is a blessing and I hope I'll always nurture it.
Your MIL sounds wonderful... Alas, I haven't had the people-telling-me-their-stories experience very often. Nicole has, I think!
Thanks for introducing us, Lisa :)! I'm so looking forward to our April meetup!
Same, Jeanie <3
Goosebumps at this, Engie. There's a poem like this by Wisława Szymborska...
star-eyes AND heart-eyes emojis back at you, J!
This one: https://poets.org/poem/love-first-sight
PS -- Maya, when you have a chance, can you tell me about how you're hearing about these? All I've done is call (and email but I'm told that doesn't do that much good). When things shape up a little for me, I'd like to get out there. Those are fabulous signs! Checking into the charities site today.
Emailing you, Jeanie... Indivisible Michigan 7 and 50501 Michigan (sent you invites to those two groups on FB).
Post a Comment