SLIFE OF LIFE

Did anyone watch the Golden Globes the other night? I was doing my usual Sunday night gig, working on school, television in the background, when Diane Keaton stepped up to receive Woody Allen's lifetime achievement award. I wasn't paying much attention, but then Keaton burst into song.

And it was a song I knew. From a  long time ago. When I was a Girl Scout. At about age 8. 

Make new friends,
but keep the old,
one is silver 
and the other's gold. 

 Over Christmas break, I had the opportunity to celebrate a little silver.

A new friend.

Or actually an old friend, that I am just now getting to know face to face.

I "met" Linda about two years ago. Truly, I don't remember the exact circumstances. At that point, I had never heard of her blog, "Teacherdance," but was reading several other blogs where Linda's name started showing up in the comments section.  I was struck by the number of times she posted and the number of comments she made each week. This woman was everywhere!

And then somehow, I came to realize that she lived in my city. And worked not very far away from me. Linda and I developed an online friendship. We read each other's blogs and got to know each other's taste in books. Linda has commented, faithfully, pretty much every time I have posted, for the past two years.

Last February, I was walking across a crowded lobby at our state reading convention, lugging a bag with books and my computer and presentation materials, when someone caught my eye.

"Carol?" she said.

"Linda?" I replied.

And there, in the middle of that crowded lobby, Linda/Teacherdance and I finally met face to face.

The state reading convention is always kind of crazy for me. I'm a past president. I generally present two or three times. I often have friends in from out of town. I see old friends, people I have known for years and years but don't see except that once a year weekend in February.

I usually leave wishing for more time with people.

And that's how I felt that weekend. Linda and I got several opportunities to see each other, but there was never really time for a good conversation.

And so we agreed we would meet again later.

And we kept talking about it.

But we never quite made it happen.

Until Christmas break.

When we actually go together at a little restaurant attached to Tatttered Cover. We had lunch. Talked about books. CYBILS finalists. Teaching careers. Exchanged stories about adoption and motherhood.

And then, of course, wandered over to Tattered Cover and spent time browsing.

And then left, promising to see each other again soon.

Because we truly have developed a friendship.

The silver kind. 

Online.

And now face to face.