24 Aug 2009

Our mutual admiration society

Did you have a group of best girlfriends at school? You know the type, the ones who hung together during recess and had sleepovers at each other's homes on the weekend - often together as a group. The type that shared clothes - and boyfriends - and secrets - that talked all day at school and on the phone all evening. The ones that did everything together - happily. Did you?

Do you now? Are you part of a group of friends that go out together for meals or to the pictures or for drinks, or for whatever it is you do? Perhaps it's a church group - or perhaps its the same group that you had at school. It doesn't matter really, I'm just wondering if you had a group of friends like this.

I didn't. I was - and am - more of a loner - a serial monogamist as it were. I moved from one best friend at school to another best friend at University to another best friend at work and on to another best friend who remains my best friend to this day, even though she now lives far away. I keep the rest of my friends at arms length. Except my husband of course. He's my best friend of all.

I think part of the reason that I prefer this type of relationship is that I am a listener not a talker. I like to support my friends on a one on one basis, and I almost never talk about my self. As I mentioned in my 25 random things about me post I am pathologically private. I think I might be quite odd actually, but that's the way I am.

Then along came blogging. Unless I was going to have blank pages, suddenly I had to start talking about things - about my family, my beliefs, my thoughts - about me! There are things I don't talk about, of course - our older two children, my hubby (except anonymously and peripherally) and our work. I don't talk about the bad days either (mostly).

I do talk about me.

If you read my blog regularly, you know more about me than most of my real life friends. More than my family about some things. And you know, I really like it!! I love my group of blogging girlfriends, and I really value your opinions. I feel like you really care what's going on in my life - and I know that I care what happens in yours too.

Two of that group of girlfriends gave me awards on the weekend. Jillian from Homeschooling4Christ cared enough to give me the Loyalty and Friendship Award. This award is to be passed on to those who faithfully follow my blog, giving encouragement and forming friendships that help us to build one another up in the Lord. That is an overwhelming honour, Jillian. Thank you.

Grace from Beyond the Black Stump has given A Peaceful Day the My Favourite Blogs Award (well it is favorite, but I like the 'u'!) There are so many amazing blogs out there, to be though of as a favourite is actually a bit overwhelming. Thanks Grace, truly.

So these two awards I want to pass onto my group of girlfriends - the very first 'group' of friends I have ever had! We are sort of a mutual admiration society really, aren't we?

I know I'm going to miss someone if I name names so I won't. Well I'll just name four. To Sarah and Louise who have gone on to become friends in real life as well as in cyberspace, and to Jeana who already was, I thank you for your friendship, both in real life and through the pages of my blog. And to Richele who everyone knows is my special friend, thank you for caring.

The rest of you know who you are. We speak on almost a daily basis, and I appreciate your support more than you can know. Thank you all. These awards are for you.

Perfume and insense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel. Proverbs 27:9

14 comments:

  1. thanks jeanne :)

    no group, not really.

    peter thought it was very odd that my two bridesmaids from our wedding celebration in the states had never met before our reception ...

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  2. I'm a little surprised that you are such a loner Jeanne as you make such a wonderful, thoughtful and encouraging friend on the net!
    I also speak very little of my husband and past school age children on the blog, mainly for their own privacy. Is this your reasoning? I guess it would be interesting to know more of your family. The truth is with the blog world we can share or not whatever we wish.
    I have always been blessed with a lot of friends but you know, relationships take a lot of work and can be very painful, so it works both ways.
    Blessings to you my friend!

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  3. Lol, I'm more of a loner ~ & too busy to keep up normal frienships at present. My on~line friendships are very important in consequence. Plus I'm more than a little odd; definitely an acquired taste, so I've never had hordes of friends. Those who like me anyway, where~ever I find them, are doubly treasured. ☺

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  4. I wouldn't consider myself a loner but I also wasn't someone who always ran with a group of girls. I always had a couple of good friend through different stages of life. A few are still friends~the ones that stood the test of time.
    This blog community has been fun to be a part of and even though my husband doesn't understand I have "friends" in my computer that's what it feels like!
    Congrats on the blog awards!

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  5. Wow, I never would have thought of you as a loner:)
    I have a bit more in common with you than I thought!
    Congratulations on your awards, you deserve them!

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  6. Loner sounds terribly, guys!! I am just very happy with my own company and don't share emotions easily. That's what I'm trying so inadequately to say.

    I am trying to say I appreciate your friendship. Thanks all.

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  7. Dear Jeanne,

    Thank you for sharing your heart, I love reading your thoughts and how you really feel! Is that me when you mentioned 'Sarah'? If for some reason it is, I am very honored, and I really do not know what to say!

    I appreciate you saying what you said for I have felt at 'arms length' with you when we have chatted, and I even thought 'that's just you', so I am use to it now!

    I love my friends and I agree with Ruby, that it takes work to keep friendships, the real ones are so worth it!

    On the other hand I love my space and being alone for I love being with the Lord!

    Anyway, you are a great friend and thank you again for helping me so much in my homeschooling, I do not take it for granted!

    xxx

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  8. Yes Sarah, I meant you! Thanks for putting up with me!

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  9. Jeanne, I really appreciate your blog too! I read it every day and it always leaves me inspired to pursue CM's philosophies more. I haven't blogged a lot lately as life with 5 is very busy and I just don't get to it very often :-)

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  10. And about friends, I have a very close knit group of friends who are fellow homeschooling mums in our church. Most of us have been friends for most of our married lives and we have been through child-rearing and other tough times together lately. I moved around a lot as a child and didn't really keep up any of those friendships, but these friends I have now are very special. None of them are bloggers though and not many are very aware of CM's mehtods, so my online friends are very important in that area :-)

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  11. A loner...me too!
    I enjoy my family and home too much. I like to have plenty of passing acquaintances! As a child I had five very good friends, I spent almost every waking hour with them, but around my teen years we drifted apart.

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  12. Hiya and thank you - yes, it is mutual.

    You summed it up perfectly with Proverbs 27:9, Jeanne, so what more can I say?

    I have an identical twin sister so my "group" came pre-packaged, so to speak.

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  13. Thanks for sharing that Jeanne. I think we are a little bit alike. I too enjoy my own company and yet my friends are very important to me.

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I'd love you to leave me a message. Tell me what you like - and what you don't. Just remember that this is what we do in our family - it doesn't have to be what you do in yours...