Today I met a friend, a friend I have know for nearly three year, but never met. A friend I made on an Internet on a website for mums. It was like we had known each other forever.
Before I had children I would never have dreamed of stepping foot in such a place, but I needed support and this place offered me it in spades and never in shades of grey, always black and white. I didn't have to meet the people who offered their advise, it didn't matter whether I agreed with them or not, they were not swayed by knowing the "real" me.
Since then I have gone on to regularly frequent two such sites and both are every different, but satisfy different needs in me.
Well As you will have guessed from the blog, I love, love, love FlyLady, even if I can not stand all the "loving yourself" bits. I truly live by the main rules of anything in small amounts, 15 mins timer, the routines and habits. I came across a thread on one of the sites where some people in the UK followed her routine and joined in. It is a wonderful group of ladies, who have seen me threw thick and thin. They were there for me when I had my mastectomy, with a food parcel of tea and cakes from the very Yorkshire institution of Bettys. They sent treats for the minimads, Easter things for everyone, inspirational notebooks, I could go on, but the main thing is they all listened to me.
We often try to meet if we are ever in the area of one and another and have made some firm real life friends this way too.
Well today I met "Grouchy", her husband and her wonderful, energetic son as they were holidaying nearby. I have been excited all week about this and it definitely didn't disappoint. The mini's all got on really well and had a fantastic time playing with each other. I had a wonderful time with my friend and didn't want to leave.
Without the Internet I wouldn't have made this amazing friend, without the Internet I would never had learned about Flying, without the Internet I would have been stuck at home with a 15 month old and a seriously ill newborn and no support. The Internet has been there for me in my darkest nights and my brightest days. MadDad no longer calls these people my imaginary friends. They are some of the wisest and wonderful people I have the honour to have met.
1 comment:
The internet is a truly amazing thing. I too have made some great friends via a parenting forum. I've even been on holiday with some of them.
The world now seems a smaller place and my friends are widespread but that doesn't matter.
:)
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