C: Dining with Sandra

Once again our blogging friend from Add Humor and Faith…Mix Well came through our town last Thursday.  V, MIL and I picked her up at the motel and spent the evening over dinner, laughing and sharing stories—just four bloggers out on the town.

The restaurant we visited has a replica of something V and I both vilaughing sallyvidly remember from our childhood half a century (egads!) ago…Laughing Sally.  

Sally was a mechanical doll (a bit larger than life-sized) who shook and laughed over and over and over.  She was displayed behind glass at the amusement park attached to our Zoo.  V and I shared the same childhood mixture of horror and attraction when it came to Sally.  Whenever we were fortunate enough to con our parents into going to “the rides,” (2 ride limits, for they were a quarter apiece), a visit to stand staring at Sally  in nervous fascination was required. 

But, baxeack to our dinner:  Sandra is exactly as V and I have grown to know her through her blog and her comments . You may recall that last year when we first met personally, my mother was having a fit worried that Sandra just might be an axe murderer, disguising herself as a harmless b logger.  Well, she left her axe home again this year and we had a wonderful time.

Sandra is an excellent writer, as those of you who read her know.  If you don’t you’d do well to run by and check her out.  She, like us, is “ordinary, middle America” (sorry, Sandra), just making  it through life like the rest of us.  She, like you and me, has her daily grind, her challenges, and her worries about children.  The difference?  Well, Sandra doesn’t just live her life, she writes about life…and that, folks, is a function of her being, also, “extraordinary!”  (ah, yes, paradox)  And, here I go overthinking, yet again…

I sometimes find a commenter or a post on someone’s blog saying something like: “I don’t have an interesting life to write about,” and I’m here to tell you that is just not true.   I think the difference between non-bloggers and bloggers is not so much that we bloggers have interesting content in our lives, but that we see the interesting aspects of life and are willing to share about it.  No, maybe, we’re driven to share about it!  I notice that Sandra is still posting, although she’s in a motel, on a trip away from home.  Love it!

But reuniting with Sandra this year was wonderful.  It felt like old friends coming together again after an extended separation, catching up on news, enjoying one another’s company.  We were just all plain glad to see each other!

And the difference a year makes?  Well, I think I’m in a “better place” emotionally than I was last year, and I noticed Sandra looked great, apparently having shed a few pounds while I have packed them on…rats! (We’ll just call my poundage an outward side of inner healing—although I must do something…).

But, all that to say this:  Thanks, all you “ordinary” bloggers, for sharing your lives.  They enrich those of us who read them.  Aordinarynd, having overthought this thing, I’ll add: maybe it’s the sharing that turns the “ordinary” into the “extraordinary!”  It makes us special.

So, those of you who hesitate—we’re interested in your day-to-day life.  We relate to it, we learn from it.  Sharing about it turns the “ordinary” into the “extraordinary.” 

C

Comments

Suzanne said…
Amen sister! You have very eloquently put into words the essence of a good blog. I'm hping that the next time I'm in Arkansas we can meet up also. It just wasn't possible during my most recent visit but I'll be back in the spring and look forward to meeting the Stickhorse Cowgirls in person!

- Suzanne
Vee said…
Is that what makes a good blog? I'm interested in so many types and kinds that I no longer know what it is exactly that makes a blog interesting. Off to discover what you think makes a good blog and I'm pretty certain that I'll be agreeing with you. As for the weight gain...well, nothing can be created or destroyed so when Sandra lost weight, it landed on you. Get her to cut it out!
couldn'y sleep again, I see your writings are best in the a.m. Fortunatey with this therapy I am happy to get my sleep and thak God I sleep well except for having to get up and go to the bathroom.. Sandra was very pleasant and I certainly was appreciative of being part of you young ladies. I didn'y feel old until I had to walk. Oh well.
happyone said…
You said it so well. I think blogging also makes you more aware of just how good the little things in life can be. Its also nice to see that we all really are not so different.
Sandra said…
Well, I see your picture of the four of us must not have turned out any better than mine, since you didn't post one either. But at least you got a great one of Sally!

I had a great time getting re-aquainted with the two of you, and your MIL, C, is just delightful. We should all be so blessed to be that sharp at that age. (It was so nice to meet you, "K"!)

You all are definitely blessings I have received from blogging!
commoncents said…
THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS!!

I love your blog... Link Exchange??

Steve
Common Cents
http://www.commoncts.blogspot.com
I remember laughing Sally, my sister and I thought she looked just like our Aunt Otis:)) Bless her soul! Good memories!

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