Kindred Spirits

I don't think I could have found a more perfect quote for this post today, and from one of my favorite childhood books, too. It's not profound, but it sure does resonate. It couldn't be more true for me.

I think some people find their kindred spirits easily. They have a knack for seeking out people they click with, people who share their values and sensibilities. I've known people like this, and I've always been in awe of their ability to pick friends who truly "get" them, friends who share their most treasured dreams and wishes and hopes.

It's always been harder for me. Of course, I dearly love my friends who are very different than me (which is most of them). There are wonderful things to be learned from people who were raised differently, who have different beliefs, who have different life plans. But we need kindred spirits in our lives. We need to feel that we are not alone in our deepest wishes, in our closely-held ideas on how to live and how to be. We need to feel that we are not alone in our insecurities and fears and in those things that we are afraid to hope for, lest they ever move out of our reach. We need to feel that we are not alone in our sense of right and wrong. We need to feel that there are others like us.

This little blog of mine has opened me up to a world of kindred spirits. I have found other pianists and teachers. I've found people who express themselves best in words. I've found mothers and mothers-to-be who view raising children as the greatest gift and the most important job they'll ever do. I've found the most dedicated wives, and women who sacrifice for their families. I've found Christians who inspire me and challenge me to live my faith.

I had the joy last week of meeting one of my favorite bloggers and loyal readers. She happens to also be the mother of some of our best college friends, but I've mostly gotten to know her through her writing. Her blog, String of Pearls, is just lovely, and she also published a beautiful novel last year called Finding Grace. I had a suspicion, after reading her blog for a year, that Mrs. Pearl and I were kindred spirits, and now I'm sure we are. We had the most delightful time chatting about life, blogging, the similarities in our personalities (we're introverts, we love to write, we adore our families), books, and everything in between. It was so much fun to turn a blogger-friendship into a real-life one!

Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world. 

It is splendid indeed. Thank you, Mrs. Pearl, for such a lovely evening. And thank you to all of my blog friends and kindred spirits--I hope to meet you all in person one day.

It's interesting the way life works. I have had to expand my world and open myself up to vulnerability through my writing in order to really begin to find my kindred spirits. And while this doesn't at all change how I feel about the beautiful friendships I made before I began blogging, it certainly has made my life richer. And I'm so very thankful.