Kindred Spirits
I can't hear the words "kindred spirits" without picturing Anne Shirley solemnly holding Diana Barry's hand while explaining that they are kindred spirits. I don't think I'd ever even heard the term "kindred spirits" until I saw the movie Anne of Green Gables. I was 12 at the time and was instantly in love with the story. I endured a PBS telethon in order to watch the movie, which proves just how captivated I was by Anne and her friends in Avonlea. The next day I begged my mom to take me to the bookstore so I could buy the whole set of Anne novels.
Thus I became aware of the distinct lack of a kindred spirit in my life. I closely assessed all my friendships and discovered, much to my dismay, that I didn't even particularly like most of the people I spent my lunch hour with. We were all nerds, but I somehow felt I shouldn't be a nerd since I seemed to be the only one in my social set who was aware of our nerd-status. What's a gawky seventh grader to do when she realizes she doesn't like her friends and doesn't know a single kindred spirit? Sadly, in my case, I did nothing. I just wandered through adolescence, constantly lonely and constantly on the hunt for someone to play Diana to my Anne.
By the time I was out of high school I was convinced that I simply didn't have a kindred spirit. For a brief, glorious moment during sophomore year I'd been bewitched by a girl who could easily have become my first kindred spirit. We both looked askance at our nerd-friends and knew we didn't quite belong. We spent a lot of hours lying and talking in her grandmother's sunroom, becoming ever closer in spirit. In my first act of defiance against my parents ever, I took home the puppy that was sister to her new puppy. We were destined to be best friends forever.
Then she moved. All I had left of our friendship was a silly little puppy named Bonkers. Though I loved Bonkers, she didn't quite have the conversational capablities needed in a kindred spirit.
I moved away to college and thought I would definitely find my kindred spirit there. I didn't have to be a nerd. I could re-invent myself and find friends I actually liked.
But disaster struck in the very first month. My roommate was kicked out of college and I was moved in with the most annoying, fat girl on campus. The residential director told me it was because I was so "compassionate" even though I felt she was just trying to stick the fatties together. Ugh. I didn't want to be compassionate! And I certainly didn't want to be joined at the hip by another fatty! It was a recipe for disaster, but the new roommate wouldn't leave me alone. I wanted a kindred spirit, but with this new girl following me everywhere I went I felt like I could barely breathe.
Finally, after a full semester of hanging around people I didn't even like I met a boy. Now you'd think this is going to be the story of meeting my romantic soulmate, but it's not. I met a boy and he had a roommate and his roommate had a friend and she was my kindred spirit!
You see, in the friendship department I've always been drawn to males more than females. My true best friend growing up was a boy and we got along great, though I never considered him a kindred spirit since he was male. Silly, I know, but Anne and Diana were both girls, so I thought I needed a female kindred spirit.
At any rate, I made a male friend and I discovered a secret. There are certain females in the world who are just destined to be "one of the guys." You know, the Elaines of the world. Normally we look askance at other females who try to be a part of this male world because we like the attention and we don't like competition. This new girl was different, somehow. She was just like me and we were instantly drawn to each other. I had finally found my own, personal kindred spirit!
I've since found many more kindred spirits, most of whom are known for being "just one of the guys." Actually, I've found most of these women through the Internet, and I think that's the secret to our success. We can talk to each other online without any of the competition or jealously that arises in a real life male/female situation. We all have our own little circle of boys, yet can get together as women and discuss our more feminine aspects.
That's just my story of finding my kindred spirits. In this issue you'll find a wide variety of relationships represented. I think my favorite piece is Eva Bell's moving story of strangers in a graveyard. Beverly Tjerngren tells us why her husband is not her kindred spirit, while Jennifer Brenner tells us why her husband is the other half of her soul.
Of course, you'll also find great prose and poetry, some great destinations, and all the makings of a fiesta! Enjoy!