A few days ago, I received the most amazing e-mail. I will post the actual letter at the end of this blog post, but I feel the need to give a brief explanation before you read it.
A couple years ago I hosted a lovely "St. Valentine's Day Swap".... here on my blog. Many ladies signed up to participate....among them a lady named Donna who lived in Wisconsin & another who lived in Arizona named Lynn.
From looking over their information sheets (needed for any swap), they seemed like the perfect swap partners for each other,.... sharing similar interests & tastes....so I indeed made them Valentine swap partners!
They both fully enjoyed the swap, each e-mailing me afterwards, telling me how much fun it had been & how wonderful it was to meet a friend through a blog!?......So over the last two years, Donna & Lynn, even though never meeting in person, became dear friends......
Then like I mentioned above, I received this incredibly touching letter. It made me remember, it made me happy & then it made me cry.... sad tears,.... very sad tears.
After a good cry, I realized this is also a very inspiring story. A story of two ladies, brought together in the simplest way. Two ladies who have become the best of friends through sharing their lives over the internet...... sharing their best experiences & getting each other through the worst ones. It is a story of true "kindred spirits"......
Thank you Donna for writing me...& reminding us that true friendship can be found in the most unusual ways........In friendship, Heidi XO
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This is Donna's letter to me.....
"A Sad Farewell to a Blogging Friend"
Dear Heidi,
Back in the winter of 2010 you hosted a Valentine's swap. New to the blogging world and haven't done anything like this before I was hesitate but somewhat curious and decided to sign up. Well what a beautiful experience and special friendship I formed with my new "friend". We seemed to have been matched together not only by you but by someone with much high powers. We clicked together immediately and continued to correspond and share "surprises" as things arose. A few months later we were both struck with a terrible, devastating tragedy and leaned upon each other for strength and companionship when we both felt so isolated from the world. We continued through the past two years, though never meeting, or even talking on the phone, continued to open one's soul and bare our most intimate fears. We would continue to make gifts for each other and would share our vintage finds with each other trying to bring some joy and smiles to our somewhat dark, gloomy lives we were forced to endure. Heidi, my dear friend, Lynn, whom you introduced me to, is struggling to stay alive while fighting a
brain tumor. As of late October, she was still hand stitching me things for my kitchen and sending me vintage surprises.....then weeks passed and no correspondence.
While busy myself with the holidays and starting a new job (and keeping the old one) I just assumed she was caught up in lost time and was busy preparing for the holidays. When the first of the year arrived and still nothing from her, I became worried and tried to reach her. I just received a short, but brief e-mail from her husband, "Lynn will be entering hospice care". I cannot think of how many times she lifted me up in prayer when I was struggling with my own hardship. I will miss her thoughtfulness, her kind words and the way she gave me strength when I felt so weak. I thank you Heidi for the opportunity to meet a new friend along life's journey and to gain so much from a brief and yet, so powerful friendship. I have many friends in my life, some from years ago and others more recent, but this "blogging" friendship was unique. I will be deeply saddened should I receive news of her passing. For now she is still with us, though struggling and fighting this terrible demon that has overtaken her body. Please share with others through your post, to add Lynn to their prayers and believe that through God anything is possible. Thank you. Donna Z.
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It is January 27th here in Southern California today...& it was 80 degrees.
I dream of being snowed-in, being forced to spend weeks, cooking soup & sewing in front of a crackling fire.
Luckily for me, the evenings here at our house do drop considerably. I will light all the candles & make a small fire....& maybe soup.....
