Online Friendships
In 1999, my mum was very sick and in fact, she passed away on June 11th. During that time, I found support in a few different ways. I would go for a walk along the beach and throw shells into the sea, my friends Keith and Sandra would take me out with them and also, I would chat online.
My first ever internet chat friend was kellytwinks and I found her in a yahoo Christian chatroom. She was the daughter of a Southern Baptist Minister and she would get all her church to pray for my mum. She would send me email cards and emails full of encouragement. If we talked prior to me going for a walk along the beach, she would ask me to throw a shell in for her.
My attitude towards chatting online was that there were people just like me chatting there. I also decided that I would be me and be honest. I found a group of friends who I still enjoy a friendship with these seven years later. I believe that God introduced me to those friends. It didn't take long to learn that there were those who chose to be dishonest online and to discover those whose chat lives were consistent with their real lives. I did not expect to make "real" friends with people online but was pleasantly surprised when I did.
Unfortunately, chat has often been misrepresented, and just as in "real life", people aren't always who they seem. People also misinterpret those who chat online. In fact, someone told my husband that only people who are social misfits and unable to socialise with real people, chat online. A couple of my friends would say to me, "Pinch me. I am real. Those people you talk to online, aren't".
Despite all this, I continue to enjoy friendships with people from all around the world. In 2002, we went to the States and I met up with a few of them. I can honestly say that our friendships turned out even better than we had thought they would. One family we stayed with for 10 days but the time seemed to go by too quickly. We look forward to meeting with them again, hopefully sooner rather than later.
A couple of years after chatting online, I also joined a pw email club which was exclusive to pastors' wives. That was an interesting experience and I met and made friends with more women who were in the ministry. I also learned a new style of communicating called "yahoogroups" and started up my own with friends and family who I had met online or just knew anyway. That group has been going since February 2002.
Friendships change and, just like "in real life" we lose touch with some of those friends. I probably only keep in contact with a tenth or so, of friends I used to chat with way back then. Yesterday, I got to chat with two of the closest friends I had made online - Lori and Jan. We picked up where we'd left off and once again, made promises to stay in touch. I am still in regular contact with some of my other good friends. In fact, if I haven't heard from them in a week or so (sometimes less), I begin to wonder where they're at and might even email them or leave them offlines.
Now I have found another new world of internet friendships begun with blogging. I began blogging because I like writing and used it to communicate with my family and friends. Then I started venturing out and found other bloggers whose writing I enjoyed reading. Some of them I have even emailed with and a teacher from the other side of the world is now sharing a blog with me that I created For My Favourite Students.
No matter what medium was used when I made a new friend I value them all, knowing that God has put them in my life for a reason. Whether I chat with them online or whether I see them and chat with them over the phone or visit with them in our homes, I love each and every one of them. I am so glad that God has brought such beautiful people into my life!
My first ever internet chat friend was kellytwinks and I found her in a yahoo Christian chatroom. She was the daughter of a Southern Baptist Minister and she would get all her church to pray for my mum. She would send me email cards and emails full of encouragement. If we talked prior to me going for a walk along the beach, she would ask me to throw a shell in for her.
My attitude towards chatting online was that there were people just like me chatting there. I also decided that I would be me and be honest. I found a group of friends who I still enjoy a friendship with these seven years later. I believe that God introduced me to those friends. It didn't take long to learn that there were those who chose to be dishonest online and to discover those whose chat lives were consistent with their real lives. I did not expect to make "real" friends with people online but was pleasantly surprised when I did.
Unfortunately, chat has often been misrepresented, and just as in "real life", people aren't always who they seem. People also misinterpret those who chat online. In fact, someone told my husband that only people who are social misfits and unable to socialise with real people, chat online. A couple of my friends would say to me, "Pinch me. I am real. Those people you talk to online, aren't".
Despite all this, I continue to enjoy friendships with people from all around the world. In 2002, we went to the States and I met up with a few of them. I can honestly say that our friendships turned out even better than we had thought they would. One family we stayed with for 10 days but the time seemed to go by too quickly. We look forward to meeting with them again, hopefully sooner rather than later.
A couple of years after chatting online, I also joined a pw email club which was exclusive to pastors' wives. That was an interesting experience and I met and made friends with more women who were in the ministry. I also learned a new style of communicating called "yahoogroups" and started up my own with friends and family who I had met online or just knew anyway. That group has been going since February 2002.
Friendships change and, just like "in real life" we lose touch with some of those friends. I probably only keep in contact with a tenth or so, of friends I used to chat with way back then. Yesterday, I got to chat with two of the closest friends I had made online - Lori and Jan. We picked up where we'd left off and once again, made promises to stay in touch. I am still in regular contact with some of my other good friends. In fact, if I haven't heard from them in a week or so (sometimes less), I begin to wonder where they're at and might even email them or leave them offlines.
Now I have found another new world of internet friendships begun with blogging. I began blogging because I like writing and used it to communicate with my family and friends. Then I started venturing out and found other bloggers whose writing I enjoyed reading. Some of them I have even emailed with and a teacher from the other side of the world is now sharing a blog with me that I created For My Favourite Students.
No matter what medium was used when I made a new friend I value them all, knowing that God has put them in my life for a reason. Whether I chat with them online or whether I see them and chat with them over the phone or visit with them in our homes, I love each and every one of them. I am so glad that God has brought such beautiful people into my life!
posted by Carolanne @ 6:47 pm
2 Comments:
At 3/9/06 8:30 pm,
C.J.M. said…
The first person we met up with in the United States had a relative who wanted to know if we were axe murderers.
At 5/9/06 1:05 pm,
delwynnehughes said…
Your friendships are lasting even though you may not get to speak or see them frequently. They remain friends because you are so loyal and we all know that friendship is important to you and to us. It was good that you could pick up the thread so easily with you two friends and shows that time and distance are not the important things,but the friendship is what counts.
Post a Comment
<< Home