I am very fortunate to have had friendships that have withstood the test of time and distance. Most of these friendships were forged in childhood innocence, teenage angst or university procrastination before life took us afar from one another. Through luck, shared history or facebook, when we do talk or meet up it is always as if days not months or years have passed. I am so very grateful to each and everyone of you my dear friends. I hope you know who you are.
This post, however, is in response to my wandering mind of late to three of my long distance mamma friendships. I believe in soul mates and love at first sight. Well these ladies are my friendship version of that. Is there a word or phrase for this that I have somehow missed?
You know those people who you meet once...and you are connected. You know there is that 'click' right away but think 'Eh, we live too far away for a real friendship to form' or 'We just met I'm sure she's just being polite to me'. Then over time - through the magic of facebook - you share jokes and struggles, ask for advice and dish some out of your own, watch them crash and fly oh so high. Each of these women have shaped me in some way and been Momma Mentors to me.
To my BC Momma (well that's where we met):
Whether it was cloth diapering advice before my Little Man was born or teething advice when he was 4 months; the 3 hour time distance was never too much for you to take the time to walk me through it as a first time mom. Knowing your struggles with sleepless boys and being a stay at home mom was my saving grace when I thought I was the only one that must feel that way. You were my Mom-Friend before I had Mom-Friends. Whenever I felt lost or confused or felt I was failing in some way, Pat would tell me to phone or e-mail you...and there you were with a kind word, a shared story and words of advice.
I thank you!
To my Next Generation Momma
You are one of the warmest most welcoming people I know. Your smile lights up a room! I've always thought that it is imperative that we get along (so its nice that I like you so much) as we are in charge of raising the next generation of family friends. Our boys grandparents are the best of friends and our husbands have grown-up with shared vacations, thus there is high expectation for these little men we raise. It was you that first made me feel like I had something to give back to other mommas. As I rocked your boy to sleep with my 'top secret' moves and you asked with a touch of awe in your voice "How did you do that?!?" I realized that I now had something I could offer. In that one moment you provided me with building blocks that lead to being confident in the mother I was and am. I can count on 3 fingers the number of times we have seen each other (really - only that?) but it never has ever felt like strangers meeting. I have wished many many times that we were closer and could share all these parenting moments in person, across a kitchen table, with toys scattered at our feet. For being so warm...
I thank you!
To my Earth Momma
You are one amazing human being. I watch -
abet from afar - your relationship with your husband and children and am
in awe of your connectedness as a family and continued dedication to
each other. Simply through you being who you are, so openly and
honestly, you encouraged me to embrace my Earth Momma'ness. My desire to
cloth diaper, limit plastics, buy organic and birth my boys at home was
no longer a 'kick Terri is on'. You opened my eyes further to that
world. You continue to inspire me with your dedication to healthy
eating, nurturing your children's spirit and amazing home
craftiness...and you never pretend that doing all this is easy all the
time. Spending time with you and yours for one day, once a year is not
enough...but I look forward to it all year long. For being so earthy, for
being so real...
I thank you!
This is my open letter to you all. I don't think we let the people that we value know how much they mean to us, how their actions and words impact us and helped us become who we are. So I not only wanted to make sure you knew, but everyone knew how lucky I was with my Long Distance Mommas!
