Saturday 13 September 2008

A Debt of Gratitude


I started reading blogs, as most people do, via Yarnstorm and Posie Gets Cozy - but their world, however beautiful, was not one that I felt part of.

One day I was clicking through somebody’s blog links (whose? I don’t remember) and I arrived at say la vee. I read that day’s post, laughed out loud at the sight of the folded plastic bags and felt as though the writer had reached out a hand and gripped mine.

In retrospect, it was a life-changing moment.

I did not know bb then but she writes every day and soon it was my first stop on my daily commute to Blogland. Her wry perspective on life and the humanity of her observations opened my eyes to the world around me and I adored the wonderful group of people in her comment box. It was like being able to eavesdrop on the smart crowd hanging out at school. How I longed to be a part of it.

I can’t remember which post I commented on first but it was a brave move for me at the time. Another Alice was already commenting and I became Alice C to distinguish myself. To my astonishment, bb responded and immediately made me feel part of her eclectic circle of friends.

Since then bb has reached out her hand to me over and over again. I have sat down at her table in the kitchen with the black and white floor and been offered a glass of wine. In the background K and the boys get on with their lives and the dog is there too, somewhere. It is a good place to be. She has made me laugh countless times. She has dragged me away from the results of my own foolishness. She has invested hours advising me on blogging and life in general.

On 29th September bb starts a new job and a new part of her life. If she decides not to continue blogging and shut down her email address I would have no way of staying in contact. I do not even know her name.

Sometimes a person can have a very profound effect on your life.

bb rescued me when I was considering the world of domesticity and desperately wondering why it didn’t seem relevant to me anymore.

Rescued is not too strong a word because I was drowning.

It is good to be able to say thank you.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

And then you turned round and offered generous dollops of assistance to ME (and no doubt to many other fledgling bloggers as well). So I thank bb as well

Anonymous said...

I clicked over here and saw those bags and thought: Oh! she's as crazy as I am...

I do love you Alice C.

Anonymous said...

Sorry you've lost your bb . . . I hope you can find another way to stay in touch.

Anonymous said...

Sometimes the right thing, or blog, or person just comes along when you didn't even know you needed it.

You have the most wonderful way of reaching out with friendship Alice. It's your special thing.

And I neede bb to tell me how to do that with my bags. Shallow, that's my special thing!

Anonymous said...

It's always good to say thank you...and sometimes you don't know you're being rescued, until you've been rescued, if you know what I mean. As for the bags.... my sister showed me how to fold them like that and I became a woman obsessed, every bag had to be neatly folded!
Happy weekend Alice.
D x

Anonymous said...

It is a whole new world out there when you first discover blogging. How nice to have such a mentor.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful and heartfelt sentiments to a friend. I adore reading posts like this

Anonymous said...

What a lovely tribute to the most lovely BB.

Anonymous said...

Your tribute to bb is a good example of why you, too, are so beloved in blog land, Alice.

What a nice, fresh start for you here...and I do so love the smell of fresh lime juice.

PS-I also like it in my gin and tonic...

Anonymous said...

I love her too.

And you!

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful post. Another one. You have such a way with words.