When I think about Alison, I rarely recall that she lives a world away in Malaysia. Instead, I think of her good nature, amazing support (she is usually the very first comment I revive on any given blog post) and beautiful words that I never miss on her newly revamped, Writing, Wishing.
Although I hope to someday, I’ve never Alison in real life and yet I consider her a friend.
And I know I’m not alone.
That’s the beauty of technology, the Internet and the blogging community.
I am proud to have Alison here today sharing a heartfelt letter to all her friends in the computer. 🙂
“A friend who is far away is sometimes much nearer than one who is at hand. Is not the mountain far more awe-inspiring and more clearly visible to one passing through the valley than to those who inhabit the mountain?”
― Kahlil Gibran
My dearest blogging buddies,
I’m writing this letter to you today to thank you.
To thank you for being a friend. Not just any friend, not just an online friend, but a true friend.
People who don’t blog or participate in any form of social media will never understand the depth of friendships that develop over keystrokes and this screen which separates us (okay, oceans that separate us).
You were there for me through my second pregnancy, where I battled anxiety over whether I could handle two children.
You assured me that I can do this.
You were there for me through the times when I thought I’d lose it in the midst of the terrible twos with my toddler.
You told me that I was doing great, doing my best and that I’d get through it.
You were there for me when I was going through a blogging burnout.
You had my back, said you’ll wait for me to get my groove back, and you did.
You were there for me to celebrate the birth of my second son.
Your many tweets, messages, emails, comments buoyed me through the first hard month of adjusting to a new routine.
You were there for me when I questioned my writing, my blog presence.
You supported me through it all by continuing to read my words, to share yours with me.
My friends, you have no idea how much you mean to me.
Now, I hope you do.
Love,
Your faraway, but true friend, Alison
Tonya, thank you for asking me to be here today. Know that this letter, is for you too. xo
Follow Alison on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
Related Posts:
Tonya, thank you so much for lending me your space here today, and for your kind sweet words. xo
Such a lovely letter!! You rock, girlfriend. 🙂 xo
Thank you, Amy!! xo
I am quite sure that there are a few online friends that know more about my current life than my in real life friends. Some people do not understand. But we know friendship is friendship. Whether a province, a country or an ocean separate us. Whether we meet face to face or just over the internet. True friendship does not recognize boundaries.
Great letter Alison.
You said it so well – true friendship knows no boundaries! Thank you for reading 🙂
Thank you so much, I feel exactly the same about you xoxo
You’re one of my favorite people I’ve never met. xo
you’re right girl. there are many who will never get how it is that so many of us become true friends without ever meeting. but how different is it from having a pen pal? i’m so glad to have met you Alison. You are seriously one of my favorite peeps and i love getting a glimpse into your life, on instagram it’s very much like a girlfriend sending me pictures of her kids by mail. hope to one day meet you in person but if i never do, it’s ok, cause i feel like i already have.
Yes, it’s like penpaling, only more instant!! I’m glad I met you too – you saved my blog for one, and you’re always kind and good for a laugh 🙂 I hope to meet everyone in person one day too!
Not sure what I would do without you Alison.
Love you.
xo
And I, you. Love you! xo
What a perfect letter from one of the kindest and most supportive people around.
Aw, thank you Angela. xo
See, blogging is awesome, and so are you. 🙂
Yes it’s awesome! And so are you too 🙂
Love back to my fellow mommy-blogger Alison! I’m on to her though. I bet she’s really a 400 pound black man named Tyrone living in Detroit just messin’ with us all! You’ve been warned my Friends. ha!
m.
Haha! You silly man. Of course I’m me.
I think.
xo
It is you who we should be thanking! Honestly, you’re one the most supportive bloggers that I know! You actually read & comment on almost everyone’s blog…. thought out comments too. You care… and because of that, your openness, friendliness, and sheer awesomeness we are lucky to call you a friend too.
Jackie, your words are just too kind, seriously! Thank you, truly. xo
Alison seriously gives the best blog, and I’m 100% sure that some of my best friendships started inside the computer. 🙂
Mine too!!
Love this letter Alison and the space that you’ve created with your blog. I mean, you share pictures of your couch with us. Of course I feel like I want to come back and settle in for a while.
Hah! Actually, SEVERAL pictures of the couch. (yes, THE couch) And thank you, Christine. You know you’re welcome to sit on my couch anytime.
Alison, what is not to love about you?! You are all the things I look for in a friend and more. I will always be there to laugh with you, cry with you, support you and hold your hand if you need it…even across the distance!
Oh thank you Kristen, truly. I am so lucky and blessed. xo
Oh I feel the same way about YOU, Alison! You are always there for all of us. Your support is amazing. I do REALLY hope we get to meet in person someday. Although I would probably have to wait in line to hug you… xoxoxo
You silly goose, what line??? 🙂 I hope it happens next year. Chicago. That’s the aim.
Oh how I love that little pin 😉
Thank all the heavens above that blogging is here!
What a great letter! You truly do have a wonderful community surrounding you. Hope we get to meet someday in person!
That ecard is hilarious! I missed that one somehow.
Thank you Elena! I don’t know what I did right to have such an amazing group of women there for me. I hope we get to meet too!
I don’t know what I would do without my blogging friends. Who else would put up with all of my assyness?
Hah! That is true. We love your assyness.
I love this letter and am happy to have met you through blogging!
I’m so glad to have met you too, Jessica!
WhaT a PERFECT idea.
A, only you, with that heart of yours: could think of this.
THANK YOU.
You’re the best. You probably know this already (because I’ve told you a thousand times and more), but I’ll say it anyway. You saved my life and blogging life more times than you know. xo
This is what I love about blogging. I love the people I have met. And I totally feel a deep friendship with them. And you! 🙂
And you too Laura! xo
You are super sweet, Alison. I love being bloggy buddies with you!
Aw, thank you Jennifer! I’m glad we met!
My mother in law belittled my blogging friendships and said that I “couldn’t handle anything with a pulse.”
People just don’t get it. And that’s fine, we have our own tight-knit group that spans the entire breadth of the planet. And we definitely have a pulse.
Thanks for being my friend, Alison. 🙂
She clearly doesn’t get you like your friends do.
*pulsing* Thank YOU for being my friend, Julie.
What a lovely letter.
I am still pretty new to the world of blogging, but I can see how deep friendships can form over time. I am really enjoying connecting with people and getting to know this vibrant community! It is one of the things I like most about blogging.
Thank you! The friendships are sometimes the only thing tethering me to my blog. When there were moments I just want to give it all up, someone reaches out. Blogging is awesome.
You would be too good to be true if I didn’t know already that you are the true-est thing there is.
(That’s word right? True-est? Well, it is now.)
Thanks for being you.
And for all that this means to me.
When YOU say a word is a word, then it’s a word. Truest – that’s you too. xo
—what a beautiful love letter from one of the sweetest bloggers I know.
Yes. I do know!
Love Love Love. Xx
Thank you Kim!! I know that you know of the true and beautiful friendships born out of our blogs. xo
Oh Allison. I feel like I should thank YOU for always being there.
Silly you.
Also? I’m with Mark. But I always pictured your real name be LaRone.
Eh, no need to thank me, because of course I’ll be there, silly.
Signed,
LaRone
I love this letter! I wonder if you know how much you mean to so many people? That you have managed to touch the hearts of so many making them feel like you are sitting across from them instead of an ocean apart. Friendships like yours has been one of the bonuses of belonging to this blogging world.
Oh you’re the sweetest, AnnMarie. If I’ve touched one heart, made one person smile, made one person feel better, then you know, it makes my week, truly. Such is the beauty of just pouring out your heart and words into the Internet.
True Tonya! this is the beauty of technology, even I have 10-15 friends that are first to comment or suggest me something when I write. I have never met them, but still we share a bond. We can exchange mails with them related to our personal problems and I get honest opinions. We have never met and dont think will be meeting in the future.. but overall this is the beauty of internet and I really enjoy it!
I just love her!
Aw, thanks sweetie.
And just another reasons why if I should ever make my way to Malaysia, we have to meet up, Alison. I’ve always love your words, your spunky attitude and you’re one of those rare gems in these bloggyland. 😀
Maureen, I would be thrilled to meet you. COME VISIT!!
I am amazed daily at the power of blogging in its ability to create a real community. Sometimes I forget that I don’t know (as in real life know) my online friends, because it feels like I do. I love this letter. 🙂
I definitely feel like I DO know my online friends. Sometimes, even more so than my real life friends 🙂
I don’t have my new blog set up yet. I blogged years ago when I was going through infertility and felt the same way. You are such a light to my twitter feed and I hope to get to know you more. I’m new to twitter too!
Kelly, thank you for your kind words and for reading here today. Can’t wait for your new blog to be set up, and getting to know you better!
Great letter! I love my bloggy friends. I have only met a few in person, but the community is so great that I don’t need to! Awesome post Alison!
Thank you Raquel, this is truly a wonderful community.
So sweet! Sometimes I think I know my “online friends” better than my “real life friends.” 😉
I think that ALL the time 🙂
It’s true! People who don’t blog don’t get that these are real friends.
It’s impossible to explain, isn’t it?
Alison, I can’t believe it’s been so long since I last checked in on you…I missed your second baby’s birth!
Wow, what a great letter.
Congrats (on EVERYTHING)
x
(PS I’m over from SITS Sharefest)
Simone, it’s been a while yes? I’m sorry, I’m guilty of not heading to yours for a while. As you can tell, it’s been slightly mad around these parts. Thank you for coming by here!
I’ve only been at this blogging thing for a year, but in that short time I’ve met so many amazing people, who I count among my dearest friends. It is a wonderful community, and I’m so honored to be a part of it. Love this, Alison! And, I’m so glad to count you among the wonderful people I’ve met! 🙂
Thank you for coming by, Christine! Glad to have met you too. Isn’t blogging grand? 🙂
You’re awesome, Alison. For real.
Aw, thank you Katie.
Amen! Blogging friends and blogging communities have become a serious support system to me these days. Love them and love you!
Thank you Emily, so much!!
The feeling is mutual.
Thank you Jamie!
Oh I love this letter! M’kay? Blogging is free!
I’m going to add a link to this post in my blogging post today if you don’t mind! (-:
Hee! Blogging IS free (if you don’t count the expenses towards blog design, hosting etc, and I don’t). Thank you for reading and the link back!
What a sweet post! How fun to have your friend share it on your blog.
Your blog is really cute, by the way.
Stopping by for Saturday Sharefest — I’m a little late. I hope you had a great weekend.
Thanks for coming by Robin! I’m just guesting here on Tonya’s blog 🙂
Love this, Alison. It’s hard to explain to non-virtual types how REAL virtual friendships are. All bloggers–whether “close” online or not–have a bond just by believing in the real depth of these relationships.
Thank you Nina. This is right up your alley, yes? Friendships? 🙂
Love you, sweet friend. {So much!}
Thank you! The feeling is mutual. xo