Yes OWOH has been over now for 2 months yet the connections continue. Bloggers meet other bloggers,always like minded people who find something in a blog/blogger that keeps them coming back, captures their attention, inspires them. Some of those friendships began with the first OWOH in 2007 and are still going strong. BUT what I never anticipated was that from one of these events a LOVE connection would be made.
********
A Love Story
Once upon a time there was a woman in California who had wanted to start a blog but never had. She was an amazing artist and although she'd created herself a website she had not started a blog. Since OWOH was to begin in January 2010 she decided to start a blog and have some posts and show some art before the event began...and of course continue blogging afterwards. So that's what she did.
Out in Montana another artist/ blogger was participating for her second time in OWOH. This artist has children who are amazing artists as well, in fact one of her daughters who lives in New Zealand was also a OWOH participant.
As the 2010 event got under way and everyone was visiting all the links the Montana blogger clicked on the California bloggers blog. Evidently reading her profile, seeing her art and also her website it occured to her she had a friend who lived in the same area as the California blogger who she thought may like one another. She must have seen something there to think this man she knew and this blogger she didn't know just may hit it off.
So this Montana blogger took a chance and emailed the California gal as well as her Calif. man friend telling each about the other. The two agreed they were open to meeting. It began with emails (during OWOH), you know, those "this is who I am" kind. Soon they agreed to speak on the phone (which they did often)
emails continued too.....
and then finally they agreed to meet for dinner in person
There were no thunder claps in the beginning and as you can imagine it was a bit awkward too, two strangers trying not to be nervous....keep eye contact and talk face to face. She was getting over someone else and although this man was sweet and lovely (and so is she)she kept some walls up. Over time and with continued daily communication (phone, email and in person) things began to shift for both of them in a way neither had expected. There were definitely times it seemed it wasn't going to work out and then other times it was magic....but that's how it goes in the early stages. Meeting someone new in your 50's isn't always easy so this was a crap shoot all the way around.
After a couple of months of spending more and more time together via phone, email and dating and meeting friends.....that "getting to know you" process of learning each of their life stories, letting walls down, opening up to one another, (warts and all so to speak).........they finally realized they were truly falling for one another.......the kind of falling where when apart they couldn't wait to see one another. These once upon a time strangers began to embrace this coming together more and more until finally committing themselves to making it potentially last forever.
It just so happens California gal is a dear friend of mine and so I was able to meet, in person, California Man Friend at a dinner party she had about a month ago. He was indeed lovely although I didn't get a chance to really have a good conversation with him (too many people), but I could tell THEN he was definitely a smitten man.
My hope is that these two can create an amazing life together, one that will include some "I do's" (she's never been married and he is a widower).NO, I am not pushing...... I've just witnessed the progress and feel in my heart that this strange path in which they met was preordained by the Universe.
I truly feel in the not too distant future I will be able to say.........
and they lived happily ever after.
After all, we have this ONE world and if you can find that ONE heart to share your world........ that's everything!
THE END.....(well, for now)
Love,
Lisa
XOXOXO
