Sunday 13 June 2010

The life-affirmingness of blogland




Wobbly? Unsure? Say so in your blog post.

Readers will sympathise, tell you encouraging tales of having come through exactly the same feelings, triumphant. They may offer advice, they may tell you in no uncertain terms what to do. But they won't leave you to wobble alone.



Want to move but don't know where? Say so in your blog post.


Readers will offer a range of lovely alternatives, with reasons, thereby expanding your limited grasp of the geography of our country. They may even say heart-warming things like "I'd love you for a neighbour" - perhaps because you've never let on that you play the drums* and are just learning the violin**. And like to sunbathe nude in the back garden.***


Having a down day where everything feels too big, too overwhelming, too challenging for a blogger of little brain? Say so in your blog post.


Readers will rush to reassure and comfort, and you will be left feeling that you are right to try, and that all will turn out well in the end.


And then, after you have made some firm blog-friends, and exchanged emails and little gifts, you venture into actually talking on the phone. And the virtual friendship, already valued, starts to take on a real live form. You laugh, exchange stories and views, you ask after each other from a basis of shared knowledge, and you think "It's time I met this very nice, funny, warm person."

And you make a plan to do just that.

And that night you go to bed feeling that all the past months of insecurity, worry and challenge and the need for information, guidance, reassurance and support are behind you, and that you are standing on the threshold of a new venture with friends waiting to welcome you.



*/**/*** = big fibs

12 comments:

Von said...

AHHH! Lovely!Nothing like an adventure.

Paddy Paws said...

I was going to invite you to be my neighbour, you sound such good fun! But then you ruined it by admitting you DIDN'T play the drums, violin or appreciate an all over suntan. Perhaps these can be part of your new life in Somerset/Dorset/places West? They like that sort of thing there.

Seriously .... I think you're going to be just fine. Any community will open their arms and heart to someone who clearly gives so much. Go for it!

the veg artist said...

I know that you will be a welcome neighbour no matter where you go. As the crow (or seagull) flies you are aiming for not that far from me, but hundreds of miles by road. Pity.

Fran Hill said...

Good post. You're right. Blogging's a whole new world.

Rattling On said...

All so true. I'm definitely of the Keeping it Real persuasion on blogs. Too tempting to pretend one has a perfect life...and then it goes pear shaped!

Elizabeth Musgrave said...

Great post. You are entirely right and I am sure it will work out splendidly. You sound like a great neighbour to have!

Pam said...

Oh, ok then - didn't realise that you were up for persuasion. Come to Edinburgh! It's warm, sunny, cheap, friendly and we never have noisy parties! Go on. You know you want to. (Well, I'd like you to.)

Pam said...

And I entirely agree with what you say. Non-bloggy friends imagine that the bloggy world is full of... well, not quite sure, but .... But it's very supportive, as you say.

Back to the weeds...

Anonymous said...

Thank you Rachel - that is about the biggest warm fuzzy I've ever been given. Safe passage south west where there is a welcome ready waiting, from me and the blogger who reached out to me last year and the friends I've made through her - Christine of notesfromasomersetgarden.blogspot.com

SmitoniusAndSonata said...

I can't imagine you ever languishing alone , wherever you are , despite obviously lacking the minimum of musical accomplishments .I believe the banjo is quite easy to master and will guarantee you a welcome in any community .
Big Adventure ahead !

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

love all the images,
they are cute and fun to be stared at.
cheers!

Jinksy said...

You're right about blogland being a great way to find supportive vibes from afar! Long may they continue!

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