16 January 2008

sharing the love

When I first began blogging in November of 2006, it was only after a couple months of blog voyeurism. I was constantly peeping in anonymously at the blogs of a few college friends, silently admiring their ability to share and express in so public a sphere. It only occurred to me a couple months later that I could start my own. When I finally started lattes & rainy days [after a day or two of agonizing over what my blog should be titled and then over whether I had anything blogworthy to publish], it was primarily as a way of reconnecting with those friends from college, hearing about weddings, seeing pictures of their growing babies, being reintroduced to them in their everydays, and welcoming them into my own.

And now it has become something so much fuller and more rewarding than I ever expected it to be; I have reconnected with old friends and formed new connections that are soul-deep and life-transforming. I have been stunned by the perceptions and insights of those who, whether or not they've met me, somehow get me, know me from the inside out. It is utterly disarming to be confronted with the reality that someone else has shared your doubts, fears, questions, and not only doesn't judge you or look down on you for it, but offers ways of looking at at the whole sweep of things that you hadn't thought of before. These are people who offer themselves with transparency and honesty, and in doing so, gift me a gift unlike any other. In short, these are people that give me a glimpse at the face of God.

Little things [like blogs] in the hands of a great big God ... this is nothing I have created, but something that has been handed to me, this amazing gift I treat with great care as something precious that I don't want to break.

There are so many I can think of who I could recognize and who would be deserving of such recognition; much of my blogroll, in fact. But if I consider who I've leaned on most, who has provided more support than I'd dare ask for, who act as a mirror for me, who have unabashedly offered me the gifts of themselves, who offer me a glimpse at the face of God, and encompass all those things described above, then the answer is obvious: I am passing the love on to Christianne and Terri: never were more kindred spirits found. Both fast friends, writers and artists, tender-hearted and humorous, honest, beautiful women who manage to understand me when all I offer is a confused spew of words usually followed up by "you know?" or something equally intelligent. These are two people for whom I weep with gratitude, who have come alongside when I needed it most, who add fuel to my fire.

Others who most definitely make my day (and fit all those descriptions as described in the second paragraph):
23 Degrees: Insightful, humorous, honest. So perceptive and encouraging, often giving me the gift of words where my own have failed me.
Nathan: As raw and real a person as you'll ever meet; honest, terribly insightful, and one heck of a writer.
Carl: Always ready with a thoughtful word and frequently lightens my day with his humor.

I am delighted to know you all!

P.S. Have you noticed that it's less than 2 weeks until I go to Florida to visit Christianne?!!?

20 comments:

  1. oh baby...no way in the world you could out-appreciate me. I mean think about it: i've only been hanging out in blogworld for less than a month and i'm already getting all of this crazy love? Paleeez! i hit the love and blessing jackpot. thank you kirsten. (is it cheating to give the award back to the one who gave it to you in the first place? i feel like an award hog.) love you!

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  2. nah, it can't be cheating!! in fact, i thought of titling the post "boomerang o' love", but thought i might get accused of being on an acid trip or something. but then again, i could always blame it on the flu :o)

    compared to what you wrote, i don't think i could out-appreciate you. you're taking the blogworld by storm sister. seriously. i've read your post 3 times now and have reached for the tissue each time. it's not just your words, but the love behind them that is palpable, even all the way from minnesota.

    lots of crazy love to you!

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  3. Kirsten,

    Thanks. I just got off the phone with Clayton. We spent a couple hours talking tonight. It made me realize that my friends don't just brighten my day, but they warm my nights like the light from a well-stoked fireplace. Light & warmth, day or night, I am truly blessed.

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  4. My sweet friend. I feel like Terri: I want to boomerang the award back to you, too! And I will. Once I get a chance to collect my thoughts on this wonderful award and the one about ROAR-ing. :)

    My words in this small comment box will in no way do justice to my feelings of re-finding you and knowing you. We never knew each other this way in college! So this is a sweet, sweet gift of the most unexpected kind, this past year of truly knowing you.

    Can't wait to know you in a third dimension in LESS THAN two weeks' time!

    And, I can't resist shouting this one out loud: HAPPY 30TH BIRTHDAY, BEAUTIFUL GIRL!!!

    Been meaning to ask after your plans for this Big Day. You are so stokarama mama today. :)

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  5. It won't be long now Kristen. I wish I were going to Florida then as well but it looks like I may have to wait a few more weeks. I will be thinking about you two and looking forward to Story.

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  6. two things:

    1) HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

    2) Crescenet is spam. I've seen that same exact comment all over the place. If you add that letter-recognition feature to your comments it will prevent those in the future. "this post is likeable???" PLEASE! You should have known no one with blood flowing through them would say such a thing! Delete that nonsense!

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  7. Nathan. This is why you make my day: you have a way of illustrating my thoughts with your own words that gets to the very core of what I was meaning to say all along (case in point: your first comment on my Cloud blog). I definitely had you in mind when I wrote: "It is utterly disarming to be confronted with the reality that someone else has shared your doubts, fears, questions, and not only doesn't judge you or look down on you for it, but offers ways of looking at at the whole sweep of things that you hadn't thought of before." Yes, you and Terri and Christianne et al ... you are my well-stoked fireplace, too.

    Terri & I keep scratching our heads. Our paths intersected less than a month ago & at the risk of sounding cliche, I feel like I've known her forever. That's how all of this is beginning to feel, like we all already know each other somehow.

    No need to explain it or figure it out; I'm just grateful for the steady warmth it provides.

    Chrisitanne. Dear girl. I think a whole lengthy volume about you could not do justice to what warmth & love you have brought my way. To borrow Terri's words, I've hit the big love jackpot!! Love to you!!

    Greg - I am so excited for the Florida trip! Thanks for the well-wishes. :o)

    Terri - I can blame my inability to recognize spam on the fact that I woke up choking on my own phlegm at about 3:30 in the morning. Can't believe I said welcome to a spammer. And I do not love word verification, but if I must, I must. *Sigh*

    Aw look. Kirsten's growing up ... ;o)

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  8. I hate word verification too, Kirst. I had to bow to the forces when I started to get hit with spam comments about a year and a half ago. I'm glad you made it so long without being hit! But it fooled me, too -- I just thought Crescenet was not too good with grammar, perhaps English not their first language. :)

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  9. Blogging, who knew? All these connections are amazing. It’s such a thrill to watch the love flying around here. Congratulations, Kristen. And HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

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  10. Aww...I feel all warm and fuzzy. Its a good feeling because baby its COLD outside here in Colorado.

    This is a good day to curl up at Starbucks with a laptop and a good book. I think that is exactly what I am going to do!

    Have a great Birthday!

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  11. Kirsten, thanks for your kind words and including me here. (I thought I had better comment quickly before the cold medicine wears completely off and you edit your blog.)

    Vincent Van Gogh said, "There may be a great fire in our hearts, yet no one ever comes to warm himself at it, and the passers-by see only a wisp of smoke."

    Truly, this is not the case with you, my gluten-free friend. Your passion for life in Christ is evident in the words you so beautifully write. Thanks for infecting us with your love for life and passion for community in the Body.

    You are the light of the world!

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  12. Yeah, Christianne. A big nuisance, but at least now I understand why. I guess I'm lucky I escapted for as long as I did!!

    Thanks, Chloe!! There is so much love flying around; isn't it great?? ;o)

    Carl, you are more than welcome! Glad my words could add a little warmth to your day. Yours have done the same for me more than once!

    23 Degrees - ha, no edits taking place here!! Thanks for encouraging me like you do & for always finding fantastic quotes to share. It is a very good thing I just bought a few more boxes of tissue!! I know I can count on your thoughtfulness & sincerity.

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  13. Hope you had a good birthday...thinking of you!

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  14. Thanks, Terri. The day got a rough start, but ended quite well (& with vodka-crans). ;o) And I'm wearing a crown with pink feathers (yes, there are pictures), so it can't be all that bad, right?? ;o)

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  15. yay! i'm glad you had a good time! are you going to post said pictures?

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  16. TOTALLY!!! Pictures will be posted soon. :o)

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  17. Have a great trip! If I might recommend the free beaches near Cape Canaveral... wow. The water is so beautiful, so bright blue and the birds are incredible. My kids even said they were glad we'd foregone Disney for the magic of this beautiful place.

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  18. Oh yeah, Laura -- I'm all over the Cape Canaveral shore for this lovely lady. She said she wanted to see the seashore -- she's got it! :)

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  19. Yeay!!! I love the seashore!! I do love my home, but it will be so wonderful to bask in the warmth and the breeze and the sound of the sea.

    Oh, that reminds me of a poem I wrote in college about being in love with the ocean ... going to go find it!

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