This quote from The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society keeps running through my head lately:
"That's what I love about reading: One tiny thing will interest you in a book, and that tiny thing will lead you onto another book, and another bit there will lead you onto a third book. It's geometrically progressive - all with no end in sight, and for no other reason than sheer enjoyment."
I feel this way about books (apparently, since I am now reading Charles Lamb's Letters after becoming interested in him BECAUSE of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society) but what keeps putting this quote in my mind is BLOGS. One interesting blog title or profile picture, one comment that is funny or that I agree with, one link to a post on a post I was already reading... and then BAM! You've suddenly found another kindred spirit!
Sometimes not, of course. But often enough that I make a point of letting myself click away freely sometimes and see where I land. Sometimes I am courageous enough to leave a comment, and sometimes I get a response, and then a whole fabulous back-and-forth starts up. All with someone that I would totally be friends with in real life, but would probably never even know about if not for the geometrical progressiveness of blogging.
Sometimes, because I'm really shy about leaving unsolicited comments, for fear of being annoying or stupid or accidentally insulting someone. I have to force myself to leave every. single. comment that I write, which is silly, because I have NEVER received a comment I didn't love, and I am THRILLED any time I get a comment from someone new. So I try to assume that mostly people feel the same way, and I suck it up and comment anyway.
Because it's totally worth it to discover new lovely blogs. Especially yours. I think yours is my favorite!
It's amazing to me how many kindred spirits I have found through blogging . . . or other online sources like forums. One of my very bestest friends of all times I met 8 years ago in an infertility forum when we both responded to the same issue! And I think I may have met a few "sisters separated at birth" in a twitter book club on Austen's Persuasion.
ReplyDeleteOh, and thanks for any and all comments you leave on my, or an other, blog.
YES! to all of this :) Imagine -- without blogging, there'd be no Lucy-and-Lenae Epic Friendship (the horror!)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you brought this up, because now I know I'm not the only one to struggle with it! :) Especially on blogs that are new to me.
ReplyDeleteI loved "Guernsey Lit. Society" too. You should write a separate book review blog (in your spare time hahahah)
ReplyDeleteWell thank you for leaving a comment on my blog!! I definitely appreciated it.
ReplyDeleteI totally know what you mean. My favorite blogs are ones I've found haphazardly. Sometimes, though, I wonder if a blog is meant for "friends and family" and they'll be freaked out if a leave a comment on it. But, I guess when you blog, you kinda realize that might happen!
I loved that book and I love this post too. It is so true. I can't even remember how I found most of my favorite blogs, but they're all like old friends now.
ReplyDeleteAmen to that about blogs and amen to the fact that you and I are kindred spirits for many reasons, not least of which is I LOVE that picture, I LOVE The Guernsey Lit Society book, and I also LOVED that quote from the book when I read it too!
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