Tuesday 20 October 2009

Friends real and virtual.

I have posted on friendship before - on how important friends are and what a wonderful bond one builds up with friends over the years. But here is new food for thought.

What about our blogging friends? I suppose we can compare blog friends to penfriends of years ago. Then we would write long letters to each other, telling each other about our lives, our hopes, our dreams........ And we would await a reply eagerly. If the pen friend lived abroad then we might wait a month for a reply, but that was how it was and we were used to it.

Now such communication is more or less instant. I can post on farming here and five minutes later I can have a reply on farming in New Zealand. I still find this amazing, coming from the generation which does not take technology for granted.

But now I have been lucky enough to meet blogging friends - twice. First of all Elizabeth and I met in New York in May. We had seen photographs of one another on our blogs and we stood in the hotel foyer and instantly recognised each other. And it was like meeting an old friend.

Yesterday Rachel (More about the song) called in with her family en route from holiday to home.
And the same thing happened. It wasn't like the first meeting with someone new - it was like meeting an old, trusted friend. So thanks, Elizabeth and Rachel, meetings like this restore my faith in humanity.

Another blog-friend, Gina of BT, sent me a postcard from her holiday in Spain - it sits on my shelving units - another great friendship across cyberspace. Long may it all continue.

On a different subject - I have posted two poems on Death in the last week. A friend who does not blog but who reads mine every day has just sent me an e mail telling me about a book she read about a cook from New Zealand who wished to die in this way - I would like to skid in sideways - chocolate in one hand and a glass of wine in the other, shouting "What a Ride!" I must say it reminded me somewhat of the recent death of the cook, Keith Floyd.

So, there we are for today - wet and thoroughly miserable outside - cheerful inside as I think about all my wonderful friends, real and cyber - long may our friendships continue. Have a lovely evening by the fire (unless you are in the Southern hemisphere - in which case enjoy the sunshine.) See you tomorrow.

22 comments:

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

Thank you for another heart-warming post, friend.

Grizz………… said...

I certainly think of us as friends, Weaver. Your lovely blog reveals the person—the lively, thoughtful mind and kindred soul, the keene natural observer. Distance is meaningless to that spirit of warmth and neighborliness. Should we ever have the opportunity to actually sit down over a cup of tea, I'm certain we could enjoy an instant and wonderful conversation and visit.

Friendship knows no boundaries of time, place, or communication form.

Rachel Fox said...

It was lovely to visit you yesterday, Weaver, and thanks for the welcome, the refreshments and the tour of the fields. I only wish we could have stayed a little longer and talked more. It was great too to meet Dominic, Tess and that quiet farmer of yours with the twinkling smile! My Mark was just as described when I met him but he's not so quiet these days...living in a house full of women I think he decided at some point to just give up on any hopes of a quiet and peaceful life...
x

Heather said...

I agree with so much of what you say Weaver that I'm sure we would get on if we ever did meet. I have been thinking quite a lot recently about blogging friendship and how much support I have received in the short time I have been posting. Sadly I have only met one other blogger so far, but that was very nice. I would love to create a piece of work dedicated to my blogging friends and think it may get started in the coming year. It keeps invading my thoughts and won't go away - that's usually the sign to do something about it. I feel deprived if I don't read your posts each day - they are always interesting and informative - thankyou so much for them.

mrsnesbitt said...

oh yes! It looks as though I will be coming over to a butchers in Bedale so we'll definately have to meet up.

Titus said...

Friendship comes in the strangest of ways, and via a blog would have certainly qualified as strange in my emotional vocabulary six months or so ago. And yet it happens, which is something to celebrate. Incredible, really, the way humanity adapts to suit whatever new technology it throws at itself.
I find blogging a very civiised medium, and a very nice way to meet very nice, civilised people one would never have met otherwise.
It has also broadened my horizons - I find myself reading about things I would never have opened a book about, yet because a blog friend is writing about them, I am interested.
So good stuff all round!

Titus said...

Should be "civilised" above. Civiised sounds like we've all just left the army.

Jeannette StG said...

Weaver, in California we had our first rain. Long enough that the streets and grass and soil smelled like rain.
Have the same feelings about my blog friends - hope I'll meet them sometime!

Tommaso Gervasutti said...

Dear Weaver, I think that friends of the blog are not so different from the pen friends of once upon a time.
And I agree with the first of your commentators here, your latest post is really heart-warming.
I also enjoyed the poem in the previous one. Actually more than enjoyed it, I felt an old immediate familiarity with the intensity of its, as by chance I have just written in my latest post, "inevitable" subject.

Bovey Belle said...

How I agree with you on this subject. I have made life-long friends via the internet - several through a horsey forum, including one lass who came to work somewhere I had just left, and they said, "Oh, if only you'd met Jennie, you'd have got on so well." Well, she finally did, and yes we do - we're like sisters. This summer my husband and I house-sat for another lady who I met on the same forum, and again, she is a friend for life, we have so much in common. There are several others like this too. People who I would drop anything for so I could help them (I am thinking of one particular person right this moment that I wish to God I was living nearer to so I could help.)

I have met wonderful people through my blog too, kindred spirits, and after years of rural isolation with small children, I bless the day I got an internet connection . . .

Meeting these people for the first time is just like carrying on a conversation - you already know them in word and by deed.

BTW, your excellent poetry is giving me a little literary kick-in-the-pants, so keep up the good work.

Caroline Gill said...

Having just added a picture to my blog post about Rachel (Fox) and her terrific Poetic Postcards here on my Coastcard blog, how serendipitous that I should pop in at your blog, Weaver, to find that our virtual friend has paid you not only a virtual but a real visit today!

I entirely endorse your sentiments. It is terrific how the world shrinks when we blog, and yet the world's wonders somehow increase in the process!

Anonymous said...

Yes, I totally agree. It was a delight to meet Weaver/Pat and the Farmer in May.
I have met quite a few bloggers in person and have always found them to be exactly like they are on their blogs.
I think I have met about 15 bloggers and several of them are now close real world friends.
I am collaborating with Susanna of Susanna's sketchbook on a book cover
Isabel made me a lovely book.
I have met Merisi from Vienna's best friend
So I completely recommend meeting in the real world......!

gleaner said...

Yes, blogging is like pen-friends -there is something special about it.

Elisabeth said...

That's been my experience, too. Weaver. I'm relatively new to blogging and to your blog. I love the connections I have made on line.
I commented on your beautiful poem about death yesterday but it must have disappeared in the ether. Never mind.
I think you capture the essence of a 'good' death so beautifully and now this posting on blog friendships is so heartening.

Pondside said...

One can never have too many friends - cyber, virtual or in-the-flesh. How lovely that you've met some of yours!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

I too am very thankful for all my dear bloggy friends. I feel I know many really well even though we have never met. (I suppose it would be a little unusual to meet a giraffe! :)

Loren said...

I find playing Scrabble or Lexulous with blogger friends is almost like playing a real friend, and I don't have to dress up, either.

Unfortunately, blogger friends seem to disappear much more regularly than real friends.

Midlife Roadtripper said...

A lovely post. Almost felt like I was beside a fire on cool night. It would be most fun to meet my blogging friends. I don't think we'd lack for conversation.

Robin Mac said...

I couldn't agree more, I feel I have made so many wonderful friends through blogging, and I have been lucky enough to meet several in Australia. As you say, we don't meet as strangers, but as friends already. I had many penfriends when I was a teenager, but I don't think I learnt as much from them as I do from the many generous bloggers whose blogs I follow. Thanks so much for the post, i would love to meet you in reality one day. Cheers, Robin

Unknown said...

Hello Weaver,

Just been enjoying myself, catching up with your posts. The bee nest was fascinating to see. I appreciated going along for the ride for your sunday lunch. I have to say that our Rowan trees are still laden with berries too. Today's post about cyber friends is very true. We all seem to know each other so well.

The Weaver of Grass said...

There we are then.It is agreed. Virtual friends, "real" friends - no difference. We are all here for each other and we all give one another support as friends do. If we happen to have the opportunity to meet - so much the better. Long may our blog-land friendships grow and continue to flourish.

Amy said...

oh i thank god for real life friends and blog friends - couldnt be without them!