Thank goodness for the phenomenon of 'me too'. I wonder if that is what blogging is really all about; the need to express something and for others to say with a resounding whisper: 'me too!' Is that why we hate Internet trolls with such vehemence as they don't say 'me too'? They say the opposite and with vitriol thrown in. The remarkable effect of 'me too' was illustrated to me today. A dear and close friend of mine emailed me, as she often does, instigating an open-ended chat on 'stuff in general'. She asked how I felt about turning 40 - which I will in about two months time. I replied with a veritable angst-ridden email roar of woe saying, actually whilst in essence I am OK with it, there are also some mid-life-crisis moods hovering over me right now and they are not shifting.
...so should have learnt to surf when I was, like 20 (dude)...
My email left me wondering if I had been too negative, too self-indulgent, just too morose. I really ought to lighten up. Within an hour or so she came back with a reply that said to all intents and purposes: 'me too'. Not exactly the same issues but similar. Not exactly a solution but some suggestions of how to manage the crisis of mind. And at that moment my shoulders relaxed, shifted down a notch and I felt my day was better. I ask myself - what was that all about!? A problem shared is a problem halved? Why is it a comfort to me to know that she suffers too? Or is it that actually knowing that I am not alone in my daily neuroses is a comfort, pure and simple?
The declaration of 2014 resolutions keep pouring in and I see that we are all in the same boat, just out there trying to make sense of our lot in life. My lot is in good order right now and I see that what matters to me now is the following: health, love, kindred spirits and lightness. Even though this is the darkest of winters, I have to find the lightness in it, so I am hatching a plan. We all love a plan.
I think the 'me too' element also applies to kindred spirits and by that I mean the good, old fashioned 'Anne of Green Gables' kind. This is why Anne and Diana are such good friends. Kindred spirits. I am coming to realise that in all of my nearly 40 years, kindred spirits really don't come along that often. They seemed more plentiful in my 20's, they petered in my 30's and as for my 40's - who knows?! Maybe there are some lurking?
Meanwhile, it's a Monday, I am cooking bubble and squeak (left-over day), tomorrow one child (the pre-teen; saying 'child' just doesn't seem to describe the whirlwind that is my daughter) returns to school. The day after the other one. And then maybe life will resume its flow? Happy Monday :-)
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