English: fisherman in Marzamemi, sicily (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined.” – Henry David Thoreau
A funny thing happened a couple of months back. A woman named Diane left a thoughtful comment on one of my blog posts, prompting me to have a little look at her blog. I was in a bit of a rush that day, so I just read her most recent post and made a comment. A week or so later, she commented again on one of my posts, and I headed back to her blog to investigate further. This time I read a little more and discovered that she was a photographer and author, that she had published a novel, and that she and her husband had recently bought a house in Sicily. It might have been on this second visit that I realized that, like me, she lived on Vancouver Island.
Sicily 2010 (Photo credit: nodeworx)
It wasn’t until my third visit to Diane’s blog that I saw a picture of her – and realized that she and I had taught in the same high school together for a ten year period in the 1990′s! Isn’t blogging a funny thing? We connect in such different ways here that it never occurred to me that I might know Diane.
But here is the best part of this story. When Diane and I worked together, she was a single mom who had endured a nasty divorce and was raising her daughter alone. I suspect that those were difficult years for her. All these years later, I am absolutely delighted to see that she is happily remarried, pursuing all kinds of creative endeavours, and, in buying a home in Sicily, fulfilling the kind of dream that most of us aren’t courageous enough to even imagine. I am so inspired by the way that Diane is living her life.
Sicily 2010 (Photo credit: nodeworx)
And I am grateful, too, that she nominated me (some time back, I’m afraid) for “The Versatile Blogger Award”. Thank you so much, Diane!
Please take some time to visit Diane Gallagher Photos. Diane’s photos and writing celebrate the beauty of her two island homes, Vancouver Island and Sicily, and her blog is a jewel.
What a great story! So, when she first visited your blog, did she realize that she knew you?? Kim
Hi, this is Diane. Sally, I hope you don’t mind if I respond here. Actually I did, because I recognized Sally’s picture. That’s why I posted and started following Sally’s blog!
What a lovely story all ways round….Kim
What a lovely story all ways round….Kim
Thanks, Kim!
I don’t know if she knew who I was. If she stumbled across a single post, then I’m sure she wouldn’t have known. Like me, she probably needed to see my “About” page. The blogoshpere is a funny place
It really is….I love that you two found each other through your blogs….Kim
I feel like I’ve made so many great friends in the blogging world, but there is something nice about meeting somebody here that one knows in “real life”!
There’s hope for us all! That is funny, isn’t it. Living in Sicily sounds like fun – except for the mafia stuff but maybe she gets around that somehow or maybe I’m just ignorant. I fancy living somewhere exotic, preferably lots of places,when I’m old.
Actually, the Sicilian people have, in the last 20 years, risen up against the Mafia. In fact, in Corleone, the town that was the heart of the Sicilian Mafia and the namesake of the Godfather, there is actually an anti-Mafia museum! Sadly, the same thing can’t be said for the Mafia in Naples.
I’m with you, Rose! I love the idea of living in little faraway towns – all of which will be in tropical locations!
The blogosphere is such a small world and I think there is something magical about how we connect with others!
Yes, I agree. There is definitely magic in what happens here!
It’s a small universe…and yes Dream Big, so big it scares you…!
That’s why I love your blog, Baz. You inspire me to push myself farther every time I read another post.
Sally, thank you for such a wonderful tribute! I appreciate your kind words. And if you ever feel like getting away to Sicily, we have an extra room! I’d love to get together for coffee sometime, if you like.
You are so welcome! It is such fun to reconnect in such a different way. (And what a novel concept: having coffee with a blogging buddy! I’d love to…)
Man, it is a small world. And if Diane’s story isn’t inspirational, I don’t know what is!
I know. I am so delighted that things have worked out so well for her!
Congratulations on the award, and what a great story to go with it!
Thank you! I look forward to actually seeing Diane soon in person
So cool! The blogosphere is not so big after all, huh… That part where it crosses over into the real.
It’s a small world – digital and otherwise
Diane is incredibly talented – and so are you for that matter!
Cool reunion tale!
Hey, thanks! Funny how the world works, isn’t it?