Meeting and Falling in Love Online

I love meeting people online. For someone like me, who holds back in person, who is more comfortable in small groups than I am in a faceless crowd, meeting people online is a dream!

I've three friends I met on Live Journal for whom I would give my right arm; Jeannie, Shelly and Jill. They are the most wonderful human beings, and my life would be very empty without them. I met Shelly in May when I flew out to California. I'm hooking up with Jeannie in October at her place. Jill, by the grace of God, I'll meet sometime soon. These woman have made me a better person, a richer person.



I've met other people online, as well. Amazing people whom I cannot imagine not having in my life, regardless of where they are: West Coast, Midwest, South, even in another country all together. I am an exceptionally lucky woman, honest to Christ.

But what do you do when online friends cross the line from friends with whom you chat and share a few laughs and become a person with whom you want to share more? And yes, we all know what I mean when I say the word "more." We are all adults, after all.

I'll admit, I like to flirt, but it is harmless flirting. It's a wink and a slightly suggestive comment or reply. It's not lewd or salacious. No one takes me seriously, and I don't take them seriously. It's a bar chat in a digital setting. But what happens when you start liking the person you're chatting with on the next digital bar stool?

I've met a couple who met and fell in love online. They are the most amazing people; they have so much faith and hope in each other and what they share with each other. They will be meeting each other for the first time in a week or so. I'm waiting with baited breath to hear how things work out. These two people inspire the hell out of me. They give me faith and hope. That in this day and age, when it is harder and harder to meet someone, meeting someone online can work out. That it isn't some sort of hallucination; you can find someone honest and caring and genuine hundreds or even thousands of miles away.

It is possible? I'd like to think so, even though there are more non-believers than believers. There are nay-sayers and pessimists and those that say, "They can be anybody online," and "How can you believe anyone you haven't met?"

I'll admit it, I'm a very literal person, much to my detriment. It takes me an extra moment or two to make the connection from what I am reading to what it really being said. It's not that I don't believe people lie, they do! But I don't. If I don't want to answer a question, I won't, but I won't lie and make up an answer that will get you off my back or appease you somehow. I'd rather not say anything and suffer an uncomfortable silence than lie. But people do lie. Horribly. All the time. And for their own reasons, most of which, I'm counting on, are not malicious.

But to these nay-sayers I say this, I've just as much faith in the person I meet face to face as I do in the person I meet online to be as truthful and as honest as they can be, with me. Some say it's easier to be truthful when you can't see their face, other say it's easier to lie when you can't see their face. Both are true.

But still, I have faith and hope. Because I've met someone. I'll not go into any details, except to say, I was not looking for him; he found me. He says he's the lucky one, but I know differently. The Daria in every day life is the Daria in digital life; I don't make friends easily or often, but sometimes I take a chance. I'm determined to be realistic; despite not wanting to be, so I'll not make promises I don't know if I can keep. I'll not jump in with both feet without knowing if it is safe or not. But sometimes, it is hard not to say, "I love you." Not that I'm in love, I'm not. But he inspires me to love. I think that's a good start, don't you?

How the fuck did this blog become about me?? I'm turning into a fucking wuss. Honest to Christ.

A Realization

I've now posted two stories that I've written to this blog, and in a few moments, I am going to be posting another. And I can't help but pause for a moment and wonder if this was somehow a part of the plan all along. Not intentionally, of course. In the beginning, I could not imagine sharing what I've written in this manner, but after my first story was posted, the response was immediate and slightly overwhelming. And it appears I've found a small outlet for my creativity for now.

That's not to say that this blog is suddenly going to be just about posting stories, nosiree! I will be posting the odd bit here and there, sometimes rambling, sometimes ranting, perhaps even, if I'm tipsy and in a good mood, I'll make a social commentary that I will undoubtedly regret at some point in the future.

But for now, it seems a good enough place for me to introduce some stories.

Thanks for joining me and reading.