Meeting someone for the first time in the flesh can be quite a daunting prospect. ‘Will they like me?’ is a question that obviously rears up, along with ‘Will we run out of things to say?’ ‘Will she be as friendly as I think she is?’ and ‘Is arranging to meet up going to be a big mistake?’
‘Knowing’ someone on Instagram, liking their photos and having a handful of ping-pong messages is a very different kettle of fish to arranging to meet, along with husbands in tow, to spend more than a couple of hours in their company.
I met Carole last year on Instagram which is a relatively short time ago, connecting with our shared interest in art and creativity and subsequently discovering we had a quite a few things in common, including quite bizarrely, the same maiden name.
Living about 450 miles apart, around an 8 hour car journey, meeting up for a quick coffee was never going to be an easy option but after Michael and I booked a holiday in Yorkshire, midway between our homes, getting together became a remote possibility and before we knew it Carole and I were hugging each other like old friends in Richmond marketplace.
I’m still on holiday Richmond with Michael, hence this short post; Carole and her wonderful husband have now driven back to Scotland, but before they departed Carole and I managed to squeeze in a podcast chat, about nothing in particular, but just a chat between two friends about our time in Richmond and general ramblings about life.
I’m not going to embarrass Carole and write reams and reams of how wonderful she is and how glad I am we made the effort to meet face to face; it’s suffice to say we will be meeting again sooner rather than later.
Never turn down the opportunity to meet someone for a coffee, you might just be making a new friend for life.
You can find Carole’s beautiful photographs of her home, surroundings and creative processes on Instagram at Pebble and Pine Creative.
Lots of love,
Lindsey x
Easy Friendships