Friday Friends: Hanging my head in shame

Friday is a time for celebrating our friends. Originally, we were publishing an interview with one specific Give A Brick friend but I’ve decided instead to dedicate today’s post to all our Give A Brick friends. I also need to apologise. As you know already from some of the fund raising videos I’ve put together, I like to have fun. I said as much over at Heather’s Shades of a Dream blog.

However, I went for a meal with my parents and siblings last night and told my mum about yesterday’s Thoughtful Thursday post and she was horrified. My mum doesn’t do the web. My dad reads and prints out any important emails she receives. She has a mobile phone but uses it so infrequently, she needs a lesson every time she turns it on.

But what she loses on technology, she more than makes up for in developing relationships. When I told her that I’d posted an April Fool’s Day Joke on the Give A Brick website and that only explanation I could give was that it was my first April blogging, she looked really disappointed and said a load of stuff including words like ‘jeopardize’  I tried to explain that it was all meant in a spirit of fun and that since I knew the people on here, I could apologise to them personally. That didn’t cut much ice

So I now feel terrible. What started out as just a bit of fun has ended up with me thinking about all the fabulous people I’ve met since starting this adventure. The outrage expressed on our behalf by some of you lovely people was really touching. Dave emailed me all ready and set to mobilize his list, Matthew very kindly decided to give (another) brick, Ralph risked investigation from the Secret Service by lambasting HRH The Queen on Facebook, whilst Lee, Victor and Karen offered encouragement, support and prayer. The latter I feel particularly bad about because I can’t help but think of Lee and God having a chat about this and the whole time, God knows it’s just a silly prank.

So, I’m hoping you might please accept my apologies. I am really very sorry and truth be told, if I could have the benefit of Harry Potter’s time turner, I’d do things differently. However, as a close friend very wisely told me, “No, you can’t change time!” so instead, this is me taking action in the only way I know. Give A Brick is a charity built on relationships, openness and honesty. As such, and with the benefit of hindsight, I can see that my actions yesterday contradicted that openness I’ve always been so proud of. Sorry I promise I’ll never again let my motivation for having fun cloud the way I treat my friends. Please forgive me.