Meeting Mariana Gheorghe

“What have I done to deserve her kindness?”

That was the first thing that popped in my mind when I saw a very pretty young mother in red sweater approaching me with a bud of red rose and a Canadian Moose plush doll (with her baby moose)… and hugging me like she’d known me for half of her life.

Of course I cried then, weeping and laughing at the same time as I admired her red rose and the moose… God, I didn’t even bring her anything from Australia! I thought of bringing her something from down unduh, but nothing seemed to fit for her in the midst of my preparation for the Quebec conference last week.

But there she was, Mariana Gheorghe, a lady I met online in Becoming Jane Fansite in 2007, and even though I was often late in replying to her emails etc, she was still here with us, an avid Jane Austen fan, a total Jane/Tom supporter… and a drop-dead member of the Richard Armitage Army (like moi! But that’s another forum altogether, haha!). And there she was, in Toronto Airport, welcoming me into her giant city, taking me to a great lunch on CN Tower, taking my pictures amidst the pumpkins… introducing me to her lovely husband and son… And for many a time that day, I found myself choked with tears… for again, God, what have I done to deserve her kindness?

Apparently, blogging is an amazing thing. I know so many hostile people during my frequent visits in other forums (not necessarily JA-related themes), and I know I don’t ever want to meet those people (nor frequenting those forums again, for that matter). But here in BJF, I not only met my Team Jane (Rachel, Linda, Michelle…), but I also met people like Mariana from Canada, Maria of Sweden, Kari of USA, Bilbo of… (sorry Bilbo, I forgot where you’re from), Edward Lefroy from England, and other nice people. We don’t necessarily agree with each other, but the great thing is that we are able to stay civil and friendly towards each other.

And it’s a sweet extra ganache when that online friendship can take you to another level. (I also met another gorgeous, lovely friend of mine, Rhonda, of a totally different online channel in TO). Driving across the big TO with your online friend is something that I can still recall with a fond smile on my face and in my heart now… and I can only hope that one day I can repay their kindness by welcoming them in my own town, my own home, in time.

Until then, stay friendly, give everyone your smiles, even if you don’t always agree with them. Many of us fail to appreciate the preciousness of a friendship, and I don’t want to see it in BJF. Right, Rachel, Linda, Michelle? Who’s next? Rachel? Let me check if I have a conference/workshop/meeting in UK in 1-2 years’ time…

Pic. Victor and Mariana Gheorghe, Jane Austen, and Tom Lefroy, and myself (this also is my first official attempt to show how I look like in this blog!)