From the Inside Out

Online connections last. I've just had the pleasure of a weekend with an eminent childless not by choice blogger, Pamela, who was visiting NZ. As one of my ectopic messageboard friends* said to me over two decades ago (and I've quoted her before here), we got to know each other from the inside out, so meeting in person meant that we had to fill in the gaps. Where did you grow up? Do you have siblings? What work did you do? etc. My blogger friend said that she agreed. "It is as if our souls connect at a deep level, and everything else is filler," she said. I liked that.

Once again, though, I found that meeting someone I've only ever known through the internet was remarkably easy and relaxed. Once again, I was reassured that these internet relationships are real, that we really do get to know each other in a different way, and that you can tell who you are going to like and feel comfortable with (or not) well before you meet face to face.

We were focused on getting to know each other, talking about the future or recent past, but inevitably conversations about Not Kidding came up, just as parents might share the things they had in common. Thoughts about what links us, about relationships with parents, and about ageing without children were inevitable topics of conversation. But they certainly didn't dominate. They were, like our childlessness, just a part of us. And it was wonderful. Plans will be made to visit them in their country sometime in the future.

I was also given some food for thought for future posts, but as they only left yesterday, I might have some cogitating to do first. 

 

 

Note: Photo above was taken on our childless walk through the local botannical gardens

* She wrote a lovely guest post here some years ago - https://nokiddinginnz.blogspot.com/2016/01/guest-post-sarahg-on-living-life.html