Similar lives

Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead.
Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Albert Camus, 1913 – 1960
French author, journalist and philosopher

Since I started blogging in March I have come across many people whom I like to call friends.  We may never meet in real life, but through our blogs we are sharing our lives, thoughts and feelings with each other.  It’s great to see how many people have different takes and attitudes on a variety of things.  And it is also great when you come across someone who could be living your life.

Several of these come to mind Susan at Coming East, Dor at Technicolor Day Dreams, Val at Absurd Old Bird, Chris at Bridges Burning, Debbie at My Quest and Nancy at Spirit Lights the Way.  Maybe because we are of a similar age, although I am of course, the oldest.   And of course the many younger ones Sharon,  Patti, Patricia, Elizabeth, Suzi Cate, Jacquelin and many more.  All of these have many years to live before they reach my ripe age.  And I apologise if you are left off this list.  There are just too many of you to mention.  Thanks for being my friends anyway.

In one particular post entitled The Waiting Game Debbie told of a visit to the hospital.  It could have been written by me.  So similar were our experiences.  Around the same time and on opposite sides of the world.  Read Debbie’s version and then compare it to mine.  This is my comment to Debbie on the post:

“A few weeks ago I had a similar experience. I fell up the step between living room and kitchen with a fine china bowl in my hand. The bowl shattered and sliced into my thumb.

Blood literally pumping up so a call to my daughter who fortunately lives very close, and we were off to the after hours emergency clinic. They were very accommodating and said I would be attended to shortly.   Yes, you guessed it.  I waited for a short time in the waiting room – that’s why it’s called that of course – then saw a nurse who said ‘Mm a think you need stitches’ and ‘come through here’.  Through here was a brightly lit cubicle and there I waited.

Another nurse appeared who said she would have to get the doctor – I waited and the doctor eventually appeared. She then told the nurse to give me a tetanus shot and a shot so they could administer the stitches.  More waiting, the doctor appeared again looked at the hand, asked the nurse to stitch it and you guessed it, more waiting.

A different nurse appeared and started sticking needles into my very sore thumb. I waited and then she returned to say she would do the stitching as the doctor was attending to another patient.  More injections to dull the pain, stitches eventually in and given instructions to go to GP in 10 days to have the stitches removed.”

The two incidents are so similar that it is hard to imagine them not being stage-managed.

And sorry guys.  This post was about the women who have become my friends through blogging.  More about you in another post.

When you’re down and troubled
And you need a helping hand
And nothing, whoa nothing is going right.
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest nights.
So sang James Taylor

Miss Lotte and her best friend

34 responses to “Similar lives

  1. I’ve met some of the most wonderful women (you included) through blogging. We give each other encouragement and inspiration and love without judgment…too bad the real world hasn’t caught on yet, just imagine what a beautiful world it would (and can) be!

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  2. Fascinating. We humans are so much more alike than we are different.

    Thanks for the James Taylor words. James and I are from North Carolina. My daughter lives about a half mile from the James Taylor Bridge in Chapel Hill, NC.

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  3. How about we both plan to stay OUT of hospitals this year!!! LOL BTW, I love Ms Lotte’s friend.

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  4. We have all lived such DIFFERENT lives in the SAME ways ~ we eat, we sleep, we love, we laugh, we live, we learn, and . . . we share!

    Thanks, Judith for sharing with us. 😀

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  5. Ahh James Taylor, a favourite from my teens:-) We are all connected no matter where we live on earth. Blogs are great for making global connections – 21st century penpals.

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  6. Spent a million hours listening to James Taylor.

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  7. Those hospital visits must have been on many of our charts because I was in one around the same time too… Our lives intersect through our blogs and the lessons are always so powerful… Thank you for the mention Judith, it’s a delight to know so many wonderful bloggers. 🙂
    Elizabeth

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  8. Pingback: Similar lives (via I choose how I will spend the rest of my life) | Change is Never Ending

  9. Didn’t Camus write “No Exit” ? Too bad he “exited” at only 47 years old.

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  10. I’ve also made a lot of friends through blogging, not yet met any in ‘real life’ via my current blog but I did meet someone via my previous on when I was blogging on LiveJournal. Thank you for this, Judith. We have some blogs and bloggers in common, I see. 🙂

    You’ve done so well with your blog… so much progress and such a welcoming place. I think of my blog as a virtual home where I can welcome guests and – hopefully – make them feel at home, and I get the impression that you do too in this blog.

    Hugs.

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    • I use my blog much as you do yours. I like to make people feel welcome and hopefully I succeed. I have had only one nasty comment which I deleted before it ever go onto the page.
      Thanks for the very kind comment Val. Reading back to some of my earlier blogs I see that it has taken a few months to find my way but I am getting there with of course, help from people like you “my blogging friends”. I guess some of it was not knowing just how much of me to put out there. 🙂

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  11. You’re invited to my home. 🙂 I would love showing you “my” state.

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  12. I’ve met a lot of special people through blogging and many of them are women. On the subject of James Taylor I used to listen to him lots too. I hope you thumb is completely better now, but most of all I am pleased your daughter lives near you: that is a real blessing

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  13. Thank you for the kind mention. I so enjoy reading your posts and hearing about your adventures. From Brooklyn, NY to Brooklyn, NZ ,I hope you are well and enoying another lovely day. 🙂

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    • Hi Jackie from Brooklyn NY. Here in Brooklyn NZ the sun is shining on another great day but the forecast for the weekend is grim. But the garden needs some water after about four weeks without rain. So at least I wont have to water the plants tomorrow. 🙂

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  14. It has been a wonderful and surprising aspect of blogging, this friend making thing. I have been so blessed. And Judith, thank you for putting me in with your younger friends. Made my day!

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    • It’s hard to tell the age of bloggers and I only know about those I have put into (or about) my age group because of the comments they have left.
      If I made your day by putting you in with the younger bloggers I am pleaseowever, most bloggers are younger than my 73 years. 🙂

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  15. I have also ‘met’ many blog friends since I began blogging. It’s hard not to get drawn in by the personal experiences that are shared.

    I hope your thumb is healing up nicely.

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  16. Thanks for counting me as a friend, Judith. If you get to North Carolina, you’d better let me know, because I’m just a hop, skip and a jump from the state line! I had no idea how far-reaching blogging would be, and I’m so glad I took the time to figure it out. Lotte’s friend is quite lovely. I hope you are totally mended, soon, if not already.

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    • Hi Patti. I have met so many fantastic people in the 6 months I have been blogging and I am pleased to call them friends. IF I ever get to North Carolina I shall be sure to look you up. Meantime, let’s enjoy a quiet cup of coffee together over the blogosphere. 🙂

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  17. I feel extremely honored to have been mentioned in your post and I feel blessed to have met you and be able to hear about your life through your blog.
    Poor Debbie! The story of the sliced thumb sounds horrible and I am assuming pretty much the same happened to you, as well? Oh my! 😦 You two should be careful, no more slicing digits or else how will you post to your blog?! 🙂
    I hope you both are doing better and I was so excited to see another pic of Lotte….and her friend! 😀

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    • Lotte’s best friend is Major the Afghan Hound. They really look very odd if/when I take them for a walk together. They are always the centre of attention.
      And I am not planning on any more mishaps with china or knives. Thanks for the comment. I am so pleased to have met you and hear about your life that is so very different to mine. 🙂

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  18. Pingback: Happy Christmas Mrs B | I choose how I will spend the rest of my life

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