Not long ago I wrote a long babbling diary about community and why it is important, even and maybe even more so, on a political blog like Daily Kos. Tonight I'd like to share my thoughts on the inevitable outgrowth of such community...Friendship.
Friendship...it can mean so many things to everyone in so many ways so tonight I wanted to share my happy story which of late has been my friends.
I have a happy story to tell because of my friends.
In The Prophet, Khalil Gibran has an amazing poem about friends that I would like to share bits of as they describe some of the people in my life that I am lucky enough to today call "Friend".
Your friend is your needs answered.
He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving.
And he is your board and your fireside.
For you come to him with your hunger, and you seek him for peace.
If community is the backbone, friendship is the cartilege that keeps the community supported. And without friendship, there is no community. Over the last 3 years (and tomorrow is my Daily Kos bday!)I have been lucky enough to meet some people I now call friend.
When your friend speaks his mind you fear not the "nay" in your own mind, nor do you withhold the "ay."
And when he is silent your heart ceases not to listen to his heart;
For without words, in friendship, all thoughts, all desires, all expectations are born and shared, with joy that is unacclaimed.
Some of my friends I talk to or chat with every day- in the kiddie pool or other diaries...in email...texts...phone...occasional visits in person. And I treasure these times like no other. They bring peace to my chaos, reassurance to my doubts and acceptance of my deepest imperfections. I only hope I do the same for them.
When you part from your friend, you grieve not;
For that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence, as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain.
Some of my long time DK friends I met for the first time just 7 weeks ago in Pittsburgh. I went to Pittsburgh with a long list of friends I just had to MEET and HUG. I'm happy to report that I think I came close to checking off the whole list. The best part of the whole weekend was after dinner, walking into the lobby and laying eyes on the guy who was without a doubt #1 on that list...and I have to say it was the best hug of the weekend, bar none. We'd been emailing for a while, and even talking on the phone...but to just look at each other and hug was so amazing there are almost (after all this is me we are talking about) no words to describe it. And I made new friends over that weekend as well. And at the end of the weekend, I cried as I said "see you later" but I didn't grieve for I knew that the next day I would see them here on the Great Orange Satan and all would be right with our worlds.
And let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit.
That's the beauty of the friendships we forge here on Daily Kos. We accept who we are and love each other for the sake of loving each other. We share our daily ups and downs, and we work together to change the world and make it a better place for everyone. None of that would be possible without friendship.
And let your best be for your friend.
If he must know the ebb of your tide, let him know its flood also.
Of late I've had the good luck to meet a few more friends through DK that without them, I'd have lost my sanity for sure. A few tentative posts, a few emails...long IMs and finally talking on the phone. It's like finding hidden treasure and the pot at the end of the rainbow all rolled into one.
For what is your friend that you should seek him with hours to kill?
Seek him always with hours to live.
For it is his to fill your need, but not your emptiness.
And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures.
For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.
Friendships come in many flavors. I've been lucky enough to find them all here- but here I have to give a shout out to the person I hold responsible for most of the friends I've found here ...and that's our Slave, Lifeguard of the Kiddie Pool, and thank flying spaghetti monster, MY friend Bill in Portland Maine. When he lost his job 2 years ago, I was in a panic thinking about not waking up every day and meeting up with my friends in the kiddie pool every morning. Then we as a community banded together and hired him to allow us to continue our friendships in his Garden of Snark every day. Now it is time for us to renew that commitment...not just so he can make a living but so that we can continue to make new friends and build the friendships we already have.
At the end of this diary, you will find links you can use to contribute to his continued enslavement employment and if you can afford to, please do contribute. As of an email late Sunday night, we are over halfway to our goal with a little over $12,000 raised thus far. If you can't contribute with money there are other things you can do like rec the diaries in the fundraising drive...WRITE a diary for the fundraising drive (email me at spedwybabs at gmail dot com to volunteer)...send a link to this and other fundraising diaries to all of your friends...post the links in your facebook status...tweet about it on twitter.
Before I end this rambling I want to say a few (ok ok maybe more than a few...i'm the queen of fluff ok I'm allowed!) words about the power of the friendships I've made here on DK.
First there's the power of sanity. There are a few of you lately who have been there for me literally 24/7...as I've ridden the roller coaster that has been life of late. Some of you I've known now for 3 years, some for as little a 2 weeks but I want to publicly thank you for your unconditional support and for even answering your phone sometimes! (I promise no names but you 2 know who you are!).
Then there's the power of actually doing something. Of taking the spirit of this community and working to put it to use for the good of all. The Blog Worker's Industrial Union and Progressive PSA are from the brain of a friend I made in Pittsburgh and is an example of what happens when community is strong and friendships flourish.
Then there's the power of healing. Many here in our DK community are injured or sick in some way- be it depression, illness, broken bones and worse. But the friendships that develop here bring light and hope and healing to those that suffer. Sometimes just a simple "how is your day going" email can make a difference that leaves one speechless.
I've babbled enough...to Bill and his amazingly patient partner Michael...to all of my Daily Kos friends (if I start to name names I'll leave someone out and I refuse to take that chance, but you KNOW who you are) new and old...and to those of you who aren't yet my friend but will be someday {{{{{}}}} Always remember that no matter what they say, it is friendship that makes the world go round.
To contribute to the continued enslavement employment of OUR friend Bill, click on one of these links. You can also use this diary to make a pledge for tomorrow morning's pootie-a-thon which will begin somewhere around 10:30 am EST (see tip jar for more information).
UPDATE- I made a goof...here is the link for a one time contribution LOL
One time contribution: click here.
$5 monthly contribution: click here
$10 monthly contribution: click here
$20 monthly contribution: click here
Or you can mail him a check or money order via snail mail to:Bill Harnsberger, 16 Pitt Street, Portland, ME, 04103.
Now please do the following....rec this diary so everyone can become a boss!....tip Bill...i'm sure he's commenting in here somewhere (but be gentle, he is getting old you know) ...go to one of the links above and make a commitment to being a full time boss. At one point I had to stop making payments due to car issues but I have now recommitted to a monthly contribution and after the Pootie-a-thon will make a one time donation. Also, please, if you yourself are unemployed or just not able to contribute DON'T. It's that simple! And don't feel guilty- not everyone can afford to do so, and that's totally understandable and acceptable!
Last, comment and have fun :)
Tell us your happy stories and tell us about your friends.