Hi Neighbor!

What happens when six women go out to lunch?

Magic!

And conversation. Lots and lots of conversation!

This is exactly what occurred when the amazing, smart writers for Main Line Neighbors got together for lunch. We could not stop conversing. It was wonderful and magical and cathartic.

I have been a contributing writer for this well-established Main Line online presence since January, yet I had only met two of the writers in person once, a mere month before I started this sweet gig. So, when the lunch date was set, I gingerly walked into the restaurant searching for a table of women because frankly I had no idea what the majority of these wonderful writers looked like. They were easy to spot because the conversations were already well under way.

Welcome to the world of virtual work, right? My adult children experience this every day – working from home in isolation, virtual meetings scheduled throughout the afternoon, BUT no in-person lunch conversation for them. While we can all be efficient and accomplish our work independently, there is no replacement for the face-to-face sit down and chat session I experienced at our lunch.

Don’t get me wrong. I love the work I do. Give me a deadline with some parameters and I am going to deliver. I work and create at my own pace on my own schedule, but it requires working in isolation, which suits a writer’s work. In turn, this is why the lunch gathering was such a delight.

Which brings me to my REAL point. I took a chance by walking into a busy lunchtime restaurant and sitting at a table with women I did not know. I walked away feeling connected to each one of them in some small way. The connection went beyond our shared love of writing; we all uniquely express ourselves through the written word, and I think that is very cool, but the personal connections were way cooler.

We are all moms with parenting concerns even though our children range from 4-years old to late 20-something. This gave us plenty to talk about. We are all passionate about writing and finding inspiration for our topics. Some of us are divorced. Some of us have additional jobs and work beyond MLN. But all of us have life experiences we bring to the literal table to share, discuss, nurture, and cultivate.

I also took a chance almost a year to this date on inquiring whether I could be a contributing writer for MLN. They in turn took a chance on me, which is how I found myself lunching with these delightful women. It came full circle.

Taking a chance by going outside our comfort zones is not always easy. But easy is boring. By taking advantage of this opportunity, I was able to energize myself, meet new people, hear their life stories, and create a story of my own along the way. I was inspired by their journeys, interested in their thoughts, and from a writer’s isolated perspective, I felt heard.

Lunching ladies, especially lunching ladies who just happen to be writers, lift one another up.

In a society that has made it easy to stay home, to not be seen, to work independently, I am here to endorse getting out for the occasional in-person lunch, happy hour, or meeting. Take that chance. Make the most of that opportunity. I guarantee, you will not be disappointed.

Taking a chance,

Jackie