Strangers I Call Friends

"If random bloggers can evolve into a community of people who trust, respect, and are intimate and united with each other this says a lot for the human condition. People are tired of the segregated, separatist reality of countries, cultures, races and religions. These group blogging sites, or collective on-line journals as I now like to think of them, are symbolic of the future connectedness of all of humanity." Jesse S. Somer

I value the internet friendships I've made in the 6+ years I've been online. I started out poking around on MSN and soon discovered a group of philosophy junkies hanging out in the chats and communities there and began to collect of group of kindred spirits that I interacted with on an almost daily basis. Eventually my IM list grew to be ridiculously large, and I started a closed community of my own and invited my inner circle to join and meet one another. It has been quite successful, and many of those who've met through the community have continued to develop friendships with one another. It has continued to grow through invitations and referrals, despite my lagging participation. It has grown into a thing beyond me, with a life of it's own.

My first interactions with 'net people were very positive, for the most part. Any adult with common sense and perception can discern who is sincere, and as Confucius said, "Have no friends not equal to yourself." I don't trust lightly, but I've learned that my gut instinct about someone is usually dead-on, online or in r/l.

I quickly regained confidence in myself and came out of a not-quite-self imposed isolation. I found a few exceptional friends who allowed me to be myself and provided a mirror through which I could gain some perspective on my lifestyle, and unhealthy relationship I was in at the time. It was through these friends that I found the strength within to make significant changes and start over fresh.

I met my (now) spouse online when it was still considered an irresponsible and dangerous thing to do. We kept our friendship - and then the developing relationship - private, fearing (or not wanting to hear) what family and friends would say. After a year of many hours spent online through IM and cam, enormous international phone bills, we met in person, and married 6 months later.

Internet romance gets a lot of flak, but I think it can be an excellent way to see beyond the physical and get to know the person behind the screen in a way that is difficult to do face to face. Word to the wise, though: International romance isn't all it's cracked up to be. If we had known how much grief (and money) would be involved in the immigration process I doubt we would have gone through with it. I've been here for almost 4 years and still don't have legal status, though my residency papers should come through in early summer. :knock wood:

Recently I've made a couple of new friends online playing NationStates, and the odd thing is I met both independent of the other, and then later found that they had both been friends with each other for quite a while before meeting me. Eerie.

I make acquaintances easily, but true friends less often. The few who stay forever-unblocked on IM know who they are, and they are loved and greatly appreciated.

This post goes out to.. Tightspiral, Bonghit, Robon, SimonSays, SONAR, Solitude, myystery, Blackwolf, Adyndril and a couple of others who would kick my ass if I mentioned their names. ;)