Friday, October 12, 2012

Final Thoughts on My Weekend at Vashon Island

Our first group photo, moments after meeting at Lavender Hill Farm.  L-R Deb, Sandi, Sally, Linda, me (standing).  Photo by DJan Stewart at DJan-ity  (She took the picture, that's why she's not in the photo!) 


It has been almost a week since I returned home from the weekend retreat on Vashon Island with five bloggers that I  met through their blogs.  When Linda at Thoughts from a Bag Lady in Waiting first suggested the get-together, I was a little leery and I wrote about my fears here.  My qualms were unfounded.  Driving home last Sunday night I had five hours in the car to reflect on the magical weekend.  Prior to meeting at Vashon, the six of us knew each other only through our blogs, yet we recognized each other immediately.  There were no awkward silences in our conversations.   Because we knew each other through our writing, we had an understanding of each other.  We knew each others stories.

I like to write and I probably express myself better on paper than I do in conversation.  Words are important to me.   Several times over the course of the weekend my blogging friends reported  that they appreciated something  I had written in a comment on a blog. There is nothing more validating to me as a writer than to hear that my words made a difference. That we could develop such strong bonds through the Internet is remarkable to me.  We have found a community...a community that provides encouragement, support, and understanding.  This community also has a healthy dose of laughter.

Saturday night after dinner we all settled in comfy chairs in the living room and talked.  Sally asked us "What do you look for in deciding to follow a blog?"  Good writing seemed to be the consensus answer.  We then began to compare notes on which blogs we followed.  In the conversation below all the details and names are changed.

Blogger:  I follow  Depressed Granny.

Me:  Oh, what does she write about?

Blogger:  Well, she lives in a nursing home and she posts pictures of her gerbil.

Me:  I couldn't say anything...I was laughing so hard.  The Internet is a magical place where depressed nursing home residents find a following with pictures of their gerbils.  She probably dresses him up in seasonal costumes...and we drop by every week to see what's new at Sunnyvale Nursing Home.  So, it's not just the good writing that keeps us reading.

What is it that draws us together?  This weekend on Vashon Island it was our willingness to take a risk and share our humanity...there were no pictures of gerbils!


Our last photo, in the living room at Lavender Hill, just before we left for home.  In the front L-R Deb, Linda, DJan.  Standing in the rear L-R Sandi, me, Sally  DJan set the timer on her camera for this shot.

 

15 comments:

  1. I laughed all over again thinking about the gerbil!

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  2. Uh oh, you just started following and you said you like good writing. Why the heck did you follow me? I think I'm in deep doodoo! LOL!

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  3. I laughed again and am still smiling, since I know the back story. It was a sidesplitting laugh moment. I had such a good time and it's been a week now. The glow is still there... :-)

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  4. I echo Linda and DJan! I nearly had an "accident" (worthy of a nursing home) during that rip-roaring exchange that night. It was perfect and a wonderful moment to bring back. I couldn't believe I had forgotten about it until I read your blog this morning!! What a hoot!
    PS ~ love the "gerbil"!

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  5. So glad you all fit so well together!
    (you do know that I'm envious!)

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  6. Your amazing sense of humor was one of the highlights of the weekend for me. And your retelling of the story that had us all laughing till it hurt made me laugh all over again. It was a truly incredible time, with amazing women whom I'm so honored to call friend.

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  7. We had some great laughs, but this was the best! Like Sandi, I had almost forgotten the story that had us all howling. You are such a great storyteller. I think that is what I love most about your blog. Your sense of humor and wit were even better in person. I agree with DJan. The glow is still there.

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  8. Lovely Nana, so pleased you had a good time. The internet has changed the world so quickly it is scary. I can't help thinking it is a good thing when I can peek into lives of people I probably won't meet or stay in touch with people far away. It scares me when I realise that some weekends my only interactions with other humans are via facebook. I like to think this is better than no interaction at all but I'm not really sure if it just gives me a opportunity to hide from real life! I guess it is like everything else, moderation!

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  9. It has been very interesting getting the perspective of all six of you about your Vashon weekend. You certainly bonded.

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  10. It sounds like you all had a good time. Even though there are several bloggers I follow who live in my area, I've never met a single one of them.

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  11. I've met a few blogging friends in person. At least one is now a friend for life. Especially for those of us who prefer to write, I think we can really get to know other people by their writing. Every now and then I see a kindred soul shining through the internet. I'm never disappointed. It's a wonderful world.

    ONE TIME I was recognized on the street. That's what I get for posting pictures of myself. That's a whole different kind of special. Some day I hope to accumulate a real stalker.

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  12. Dear Jann, this is all so inspiring to me. A fellow blogger is coming here to visit in January. I'm excited about this because she's the first blogger I'll meet and our lives have touched over the ethernet. And yet, like you, I'm just a little anxious that she will be expecting someone who I'm not. Well best to go with the flow I think. Peace.

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  13. I have met four different bloggers so far this year and enjoyed every meeting. It is true, we give away a lot about ourselves and we probably wouldn’t meet up with people whose blogs we don’t like.

    I have never had a weekend away with any bloggers, perhaps I’ll try that next. You lot seem to have had a wonderful time.

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  14. Nothing quite as awesome as spending time with friends. I've met a few blogger friends and consider them close friends now. Such a wonderful community to connect with out her in bloggy land! Glad to hear you had a blast :-)

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