Saturday, June 14, 2008

IRL at Last!

I had the absolute pleasure of having coffee with a fellow IF blogger! I'd been reading her posts for some time and I often thought about her. We corresponded privately for a bit and eventually she mustered up the courage to reach out to me, so we met for coffee. I had stopped to pick up a flower for her, it's been so gloomy here lately and I thought it might cheer her up and as I rushed towards the door of Starbucks, I noticed a woman out of the corner of my eye coming in behind me. I turned to really get a look at her and she smiled and recognized me. We hugged and smiled goofily at each other. You know what it's like, it's like I know all these personal details about the other person, but I really don't know them. Well, when we sat down we just chatted up a storm and told each other our stories again, in our own voices. It was great that the yellow gerbera daisy I gave her turned out to be her favourite flower. We often finished each other sentences and voiced each other's thoughts. It was incredible. I wanted to just listen to her and yet I couldn't help but tell my own thoughts, so hungry I was for someone that truly heard me. Time flew and before we knew it, the place was closing and so we went around the corner to get something to eat. Again we yakked and yakked and the hour got late. We hugged again as we said goodbye and hopefully we'll be able to go for a walk together real soon.


She's pretty shy, so I can't tell you who she is, but it was my honour to meet with her. There's nothing like just making a connection with someone. We are so different in so many ways, but underneath the skin, we have the same yearnings, the same desires for a good life, a happy life. Infertility has changed who we were, challenged our beliefs about what we thought life would hold for us. She's in mourning of who she used to be. I get that. She's grown weary of BFNs and unsupportive friends and the unrelenting grief. She wants out of her box. She yearns to open up and reach out. I'm so happy we met. I can't stop smiling.

5 comments:

luna said...

how cool and wonderful. looking forward to meeting a few at blogher in july. though I think the 1:1 opportunities are always best!

Barely Sane said...

Yay!!! I glad for both of you!

Guera! said...

I imagine you both drew great strength from your meeting. It sounds like one of those beautiful moment-in-time encounters.

annacyclopedia said...

Amazing. I really yearn to meet some of my fellow bloggers in real life, and your experience sounds exactly like what I'm longing for. I'm so happy it was such a good thing for you both.

loribeth said...

Very cool!! I have not yet met a fellow blogger, although I have met a few people from othr Internet forums. Dh tends to be leery of me doing so, but it's always turned out to be a positive experience.