I am enjoying getting to know many women in my online contacts.
I have never been the social one or needed a lot of friends, especially women, LOL!
In highschool I had 3 girlfriends, they were all different and they were not friends with each other, they were acqainted only becuase of me.
As I got older and moved I really didn't have any true friend's, just lots of casual friends and acquaintences. All of those years in church didn't produce any real friends either.
In PA, I joined a home ed group and met other mothers but didn't see them outside of the monthly meeting, well except one, we did get a little closer because my dd and hers were friends. She was also relaxed and liked to hear me talk about unschooling.
Then I met someone and we clicked and it felt great to be friends, I mean the come over and hang out and chat kind of friend.
Recently I made another true friend, we hit it off and so did our kids. So I have 2 real friends that I can talk to and hang out with. Except for Jason he was and is and always will be my very best friend. I was talking about women though, I have always had tons of male friends, they are so much easier and a lot less maintenance. Actually this is kind of funny because Jason has always had lots of women friends, he has a few close guy friends but the women love him, always have :)
I have casual friends, I'm not really needy and I don't want one that I have to work hard at. If we get along that's great but if we don't I'm not forcing it. You know the kind of people you meet and it's a chore just for conversion to flow, I have met some moms like that at homeschool groups.
This brings me to my online friends, so many of you are becoming a part of my life. I look forward to checking blogs and emails to see what you are doing. I love the comments that are left for me and I try to comment on your blog so you know I was there.
I feel blessed to have so many friends, it happened without really trying hard, some of us connect at different levels and some of us are casual.
I hope to continue to get to know you and I look forward to meeting new friends as my online community grows.
6 comments:
Just found you via the "Live and Learn" blogroll... I am in complete agreement with your post. Over the past couple of years, I have been giving this exact topic A LOT of thought... I've even read books on adult female friendships. I won't go into details but I've come to learn that some of us need lots of casual friends... others need just one or two very close friends... I used to be bothered by the fact that I didn't have many close girl friends. I'm beginning to accept that and really rely on the few I do have. And like you, my blog/online friends have become a major part of my life for we share similar passions. We don't always have that special type of bond with the people we know in 'real life'. :)
I also found that in last couple of years close friends and I drifted apart as I evolve in our homeschooling journey. My best friend live very different life and have opposite belief system now with her dh and two boys in Austin. We used to be inseparable before marriage. Now, it's a challene to get to talk to her even on the phone. She doesn't do much online so our way of connecting is very slim.
By the way MAKITA, the world is in fact very small, isn't it? Look forward to seeing you, sweetie, and buddy on Monday.
Steph,
It's been awesome getting to know you. I too am a fly solo kind of girl. Enjoy you and yours
Tina
Ditto girl!
I have always loved to have women friends - but abhor the catty dramatic theatrics that come with them. I had girls in jr. high set my books on fire in my locker because of a boy - and I pretty much knew what I was dealing with then.
I am cautious - but I do like girlfriends.
My online friends have become my closest buddies though over the past year and a half or so - and I am so thankful! You are one of them!
I was just thinking similar thoughts - how the online unschooling folks feed my need for community even though it's not face to face. I, too, look forward to checking in with everyone and staying connected!
The cornfields are a little less lonely knowing y'all are just a click or two away. :)
What a great post Stephanie! Since moving back to North Carolina just over a month ago and seeing that I honestly cannot relate to my family or a lot of the 'mindsets' here, I am learning how to be okay alone. I, too, rely heavily on my developing online friendships with those of like heart. Stephanie, I definitely consider you to be a very dear friend and I'm truly glad to have met you. You have encouraged me more times than I can count, just by being who you are. Thank you.
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