Sunday, December 6, 2009

In which I get all sappy sapperton on you (pass the codeine)

I've spent the last week either on my pillow or close to it. The swine flu and bronchitis have put me down like nothing I've experienced before. I feel pretty good if I have my boys near me, and they've been here, snuggling me and entertaining me. We've read books and watched UP and Christmas movies. In a strange way, it's been good.

They lift my burden just enough for me to think that I can get through the sick.

When the boys tire of me just lying here, they spring up and out of bed (until last night anyway, when Miles came down with the flu too) and they head out of the room to wrestle or build Legos with their healthy Daddy. Then I pull my computer from the floor to the bed and read blogs. It's been a long time since I've been able to read and read and read until I've visited nearly every friend I've met through blogging. Sometimes I leave a comment and sometimes I just leave with a little more knowledge of the person than when I came. I love it. I love this blogging thing. There are so many fantastic people out there.

They lift my burden just enough for me to think I can get through the sick.

I've often said that on-line relationships cannot replace real-life interactions. Of course they can't, we just don't see each other enough, if ever. But when I say that, I think it takes something away from the validity of these friendships. I don't know many of my blogging friends in the same way that I know the friends that I originally met in person, but I'm learning that even though these relationships may have formed differently, they head to the same place.

Any kind of friendship has a spirit to it, something that connects two people beyond anything they can understand. Sometimes that happens, and sometimes it doesn't. Finding that kindred spirit kind of connection through someone's thoughts and words is a pretty good place to start, if you ask me.

I came across this song recently (video below), and thought about my closest friends, people I've known for years and years that are like sisters to me. Then I started to think about the blogging world, and how my experience with it has been so inspiring. I've watched and joined in as people have celebrated each other's joys, the births of new babies, weddings, pregnancies, new jobs, you name it...and then there have been those tragedies, the things we all fear, that have happened to one of us and I've seen the way the hurt has been lifted, even just a little bit, because of the help of strangers and friends. Money raised, prayers spoken, encouraging comments left...

It's good. And it gets even better when we finally get to meet in person.

So CUPCAKE '10 girls, this song is for you. As you listen, think of your friends, on the world wide interweb and off, who carry you through. I look forward to seeing you again, or meeting you for the first time.

Take some time to visit the blogs in the sidebar, if you get a chance. I've been doing that, and I just want to say, I think we're going to have a really good time.

~Heather


9 comments:

Lindsey said...

Damn I wish I lived in the midwest so I could come!
BlogHer?
I could not agree more.
xo

Haley said...

Awww! Super sweet! :-)

Ann Imig said...

Beautiful song. Can't wait, and so glad I don't have to for long!

xo

Brianna said...

I have listened to this song over and over again over the past week. I'm so looking forward to getting together.

Bri

LutherLiz said...

I so want to go, but working in a church means you work on Sundays. Bummer. Maybe next time I hope?

Anonymous said...

Beautiful song! Cupcake sure is going to brighten up the winter dreariness around here:)

Stephanie said...

Aw - thanks for sharing! I'm so excited for Cupcake '10!

Stephanie Wilson she/her @babysteph said...

This is sweet!

And I have never heard of Sara Groves before! (It's ok, I kind of live under a rock.)

Steph

Susan Berlien said...

I'm looking forward to getting together too, but given my social misfittedness I'm starting to have a little phobia about the whole thing. Yikes!