Alex and I at the Denver Airport
She and I walked around the room at this holy reunion, and I hugged long and hard those I’d never met, but already knew. I squeezed them like I’d been waiting my whole long life to see them — these dear ones I’d met through words across a screen.
Here they were now in jeans and little tops, and the hair that covers her face in her picture has two sides, and her smile is so radiant.
Here they came from Indiana and Missouri and D.C. and Alberta. And I learned again what I already knew. That these words released into internet air are heart pulses and flesh and blood, and they are human sisters and brothers bigger than a thumbnail.
And my long time friend, Alex, who used to live in Portland with me — each time I heard her asked, “What brought you here?” her answer was the same.
“Ashley.”
Alex, my friend who wrote out page by page her redemption story that’s now her book, The Artist’s Daughter. Her journey and her heart bound between two covers had just come out on Amazon days before, and even though she had so much to do in connection with that, still she had come to be with me and meet so many of my blogging world friends and dream.
“What brought you here?” they would ask.
“I wanted to be with Ashley,” she said, matter of factly.
And her words shone like real life treasure.
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This is a continuation of my story, reflecting upon last weekend’s retreat in which a glorious group of storytellers and dreamers explored big, ridiculous, God-sized dreams. Thank you for joining me in the telling.
Also linking up with the Five Minute Friday community at Lisa-Jo‘s where we write for five minutes, refrain from extreme editing and encourage one another’s offerings of free flowing words. It was such a joy to meet Lisa-Jo in person and share a meal together last weekend. She is every bit the cheerleader and lover of souls she appears in her internet spaces. Today’s prompt was FRIEND.
Connecting through the power of stories written, spoken and lived
Tears to my eyes… this one brought tears to my eyes. This is how I envision it will be when I head to #allume in the Fall… hugging necks of people I have never met but with whom I feel such a deep connection…
Tonya, while I’m not going to Allume (i wish I was), i can tell you from my experience at Jumping Tandem, that is more than you can even imagine. meeting these wonderful people and holding them in my arms and hearing their voices and seeing their real life beauty filled my soul to overflowing. i know it will be so priceless and soul-filling for you too!
Tonya, I am thrilled for you that you will be heading to Allume this fall. I agree, Janel — such a gift to have joined hearts online and then be able to put flesh and blood to those glorious words. Yes, there is nothing like the in-person, and also, how I appreciate the words (connected to the actual people) I read here and in your lovely places. These are powerful, too.
Dear Ashley
I love your new hair style!! I am sooooo jealous of all you guys at the retreat! I wish
I could have been there too. And why….? To finally meet dear Ashley.
Blessings and love
Mia
Ah, thanks, Mia. I do hope that someday we will be able to meet face to face! Until then, I am so grateful for the places we can connect. Bless you, friend!
I can see the sisterhood in your friendship. What what a beautiful story of connection and dedication. You are a holy teller of stories, sweet one. Are you going to allume in the fall in Greenville SC??? I hope I will meet you there.
Elizabeth, how I wish I could go. I trust that will be such a good time! Perhaps in 2014? Portland, anyone? :-)
I think everyone longs to have a friend like that! And doesn’t it all depend on how we define friend? Especially in the blogging world when you are “friends” with people you have never met in person. It’s lovely that you had the chance to meet some of them face to face at the retreat. A true blessing, indeed.
Christy @ A Heartening Life
http://www.ahearteninglife.com
Christy, so happy to “meet” you. I’m learning there are all kinds of friendships, and I feel grateful for all of them. I’ve been amazed to see how close I already feel to those blogging friends I’m meeting in the flesh for the first time. And then to get to reunite with an old friend in that very same place — pure gift. Really.
Love it!!!
Always wonderful to see your smiling face, WesAnna.
Friendship…so priceless!
Amen.
What a gift. I went on Amazon, watched Miss Alex’s video – cried a bit as it is such a valuable thing when someone can take the words you WANT to get out but don’t know how. Excited to read my book when Mr. Amazon comes to deliver. Thank you for always sharing w/such inspiration and truth Ashley…..
I’m so glad you watched the video (isn’t it beautiful?!) and ordered the book, Tiff. I know what you mean…such gift when another puts words to your thoughts. I’m thankful for you and your presence here, friend.
Can feel the love in your heart; and in that of your dear friend, Alex.
I was right there with you as you described what it was like to meet those whom we have only seen photos of upon our screens.
Thank you for sharing this experience with me. Perhaps one day I will experience it for myself!
Thank you! Would love the chance to meet face to face someday.
Oh, the sweet and holy gift of friendship. So glad you two got to share that big dreaming weekend together. I’m banking on meeting you face to face someday, friend!
Me too, Alicia!!
Ashley, sweet friend what a surprise. I know you had many people you wanted to spend time with last weekend and I hope I didn’t monopolize you. I loved meeting them all and though you were meeting many for the first time I felt you were introducing me to your friends. I love the memories and the new friends.
You didn’t monopolize me AT ALL! Five minutes wasn’t much time to write about my experience of friendship in Nebraska, but I was telling Mike and my family what fun it was to share a room together with you and talk into the wee hours. I loved having the chance to dream with you, my friend. And then to introduce you to some others I love…truly, it felt heavenly to me.
What a sweet friendship….a blessing for sure. Love your story. Blessings!
Bless you, and thank you for your words. :-)
Precious post.
Thanks!
You are so honoring here, with your precious words. Lovely words.
Thank you, honey.
So Loved, are you, dear FRIEND :D
As are you!
sitting with you and Alex out on the porch that first day, I could see the deep heart connection you two have, and it made my heart happy. It has taken me a long time to grow some good girlfriends and the heart friends that I met at that retreat are now making their way into th growing into deep friendship journey. I am so thankful that you had this time together. I went and looked up Alex’s book, it sounds like sh did a beautiful job of sharing her story and that people are so excited to start using it in their MOPS programs. what a blessing. May the Lord continue to keep your hearts united and hoping that there are more times of reunion for you two dear ones in the near future. It was a joy and priviledge to meet you friend.
Janel, I am still trying to put into words what it meant to me to be at Jumping Tandem. To meet you and dear others, to share meaningful conversations and hearts and dreams…really, it felt like such a unique and precious gift. I am thankful that I was able to spend even a bit of time with you and that we are able to continue connecting through our words. I’m thanking God, too, that you are experiencing such depth and joy in relationships with these heart friends. And, yes, Alex has certainly done a beautiful job…so proud of my buddy!
Could a mama ask for anything more precious than friends like this for her own precious girl? mmmm, no! With Alex and you separated by so many miles, how blessed that the two of you got this Depth of togetherness, at long last!
{ happy sigh } xoxo
I felt blessed all the way around, that’s for sure.
I have thoroughly enjoyed your reflections on the retreat. I’m still living in the afterglow. Missing all of you so. God bless!
Oh, thank you, Jennifer. Me, too….and still having so much more to say about it all. Your words at the retreat moved something deep within me. Thank you, thank you. So grateful.