to be known

"why would anyone want to expose their journal to the world?"

being the extreme introvert that i am, this question has puzzled me since the day i learned of the blogging universe. it makes sense for some people, like my husband, a veteran blogger who enjoys throwing out deep & meaningful questions into the cyber-cosmos. or for popular people who would not have the time to respond personally to everyone who wants to know what they're thinking.

but for me?

last weekend, i met one of the speakers at a homeschool conference. she's a writer whose work i have admired, a homeschool mom whose days can be humorously familiar and a speaker whose words were encouraging, informative and yes, darn it, just plain inspiring.

we talked for about half an hour. she listened and encouraged, i babbled and cried. when we parted, i felt like i had met a friend. a kindred spirit. someone i would enjoy hanging out with on a non-pms day, sharing favorite stories and laughter.

and i felt a little bereft. "so, what was that, God?" You show me a kindred spirit who lives on the opposite coast, whose life is even busier than mine? am i to be encouraged that maybe in heaven we'll get to chat for a century or two?

yesterday, as i was looking up seminar material on her website, i found that susan has a blog. reading it was almost like hanging out with a new friend. i learned more about her life, her family, her impressions of her visit. i learned her family likes catan games (a favorite around here) and chocolate (an obsession around here) and she also throws carrots to her kids when she feels guilty about nutrition. she posted a "day in the life" article in her newsletter that was both hilarious and achingly familiar.

so maybe blogs can be good things, even when you're not posing life-altering questions to the universe. maybe blogs can be another way of connecting in this too-busy, too-far-away to get together season of life. it isn't great conversation, it isn't always that personal but it is a way to say "here i am" for anyone who is interested.

after googling susan, i googled myself. most of my presence on the world wide web seems to be as the wife of the michael toy. off the web, i'm often known as the mother of kelsey or christopher. last month, i turned 46. i think if i'm ever going to figure out who linda toy is, sans loved ones, it better happen soon.

so here i am, cyber-cosmos. this is my blog.