Day 28: Just call me the Friendship Matchmaker {31 Days of Friendship}

Sometimes I am a friendship matchmaker.


Have you ever done this? I have--many times, in fact. With connections online, from high school, from college, from husband's seminary, and all the places I've lived, it seems to be about making connections between friends who both live elsewhere. I "met" a military wife in an online writing class several years ago, and we kept in touch through blogging and later on Facebook. Years later,  she connected me with another friend of hers when her friend and I both moved to Alaska. I think this experience made me realize the inherent value of connecting our friends with each other.

I have mentioned already the online community I was a part of for many years before Facebook was open to everyone. I have kept many of those connections through blogging and Facebook, of course, because as I wrote about earlier this month, those friends are real friends, even if I don't get to meet them in person.

I have also met many other bloggers and writers and authors (oh my!) through their writing, and through group blogs like (in)Courage and Middle Places.

One of those writers is Kristen Strong* of Chasing Blue Skies. When I first started reading her blog, she lived in Hawaii. Then her family moved to Colorado. I think I began commenting more often once our family moved to Alaska; in many ways she understood what I was going through because Alaska and Hawaii are both a little bit weird--far away and in their own time zones.

Anyway, when Kristen mentioned on Facebook she was looking for a photographer, I suggested my friend Angela Giles Klocke*(or as we knew her on the board, AGK). She is a truly gifted writer and photographer.

And a friendship was born. And magic was made in family photos and at Kristen's book launch (other photos here from the launch, and more family photos here).

I will say that yes, I'm proud of myself for linking these two dear ladies together--not for my own recognition or glory, but because I knew they'd enjoy spending time together and I love connecting my friends with each other.

I hope that's what heaven is like, too.
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* Names have *not* been changed in today's blog, because these gals have already both mentioned me and linked to my blog in the past couple of years. Today is about returning the favor, and telling the story from my vantage point.

To read the introductory post for this #write31days series, click here.