Friends who are just an internet away...

I feel like I probably revisit this theme a little more than necessary on this blog, but I can't help it.

I often wish that some of my friends from college lived around here. It would be fun to see them, to have more of a everyday social connection with them like husband has with some of his college friends. But then again, I am reminded by how wonderful it is when they pop into my life, often via email. It is then that I realize that no matter how long it is between the time we communicate, how far apart we live, or how much we DON'T see each other that an important connection remains.

I got this email the other day out of the blue from a friend I don't communicate with regularly:

Hi Kristin,

Realizing I no longer had ice skates made me think of you last night, so I visited your blog today at lunchtime.

You are a really good writer. Your stuff has great honesty; it doesn't seem to be hampered by thoughts of "what can I write that will make me look like a good writer?". When --- got back from her six-week meditation retreat last year, she said she spent much of the time realizing how much we depend on external validation. I think that good writers have slayed that dragon.

The email went on to talk about thoughts about writing a specific type of book that was similar to one of my posts (I would explain it here, but I think it is such a good idea that I would hate to be responsible for ruining my friend's chances of doing it first).

I wrote back:


Congratulations on your purchase of a house! How exciting for you guys. There is something strangely spectacular about owning your own house that you never discover until you are there. Maybe it it is the freedom, or the rooting aspect of it, I don't know exactly. But this January will be my five year anniversary of buying this house and the longer I stay, the longer I love the fact that I can walk around with out any lights on in the middle of the night because I know it by heart. I love the history that has happened in this house. I love that we will have our first child in this house. I hope you also get all those special feelings about your new place, especially because they help with all the not so lovable things about being a homeowner (like dishwashers).

 I like that I have friends where we can talk about the important things in life- about dreams or goals, about big life changes, about tough times as well as good times. I like that we do more than exchange Christmas cards and the surface sentiments that are often included in those cards. I like that I have friends like that- even if some of them are states, phones, and the internet away.