Thursday 31 July 2008

Real People, Real Lives

So often, over the years, I've had people say to me - "how do you know your online friends are real? They could be faking their photos or pretending to be someone they're not."

Yes, could be. But unlikely. More than ever before, especially in blog land, the land of personal journalling, people are real. Real people living real lives. Their honesty is sometimes brutal. Always refreshing. Often too revealing. I love it. There seems to be some kind of safety, perhaps a false sense of safety, when we share our lives from a computer and put it "out there" for all to read and scrutinise. It's fascinating.

I don't doubt there's some real dishonesty out there. Real crime being committed. Real horrors. Of course there are. It's a given. It's the internet. But I'm betting the statistics would show that there are more people, who regularly online, writing daily in the journals, that are honest about who they are than not. The photos of these people are real. Their lives are real. Take them or leave them. They're real.

People watching. If you've got the time of course. I have a handful of blogs that I like to read on a regular basis but I wonder if there are people out there who are prolific blog readers. People watching. People who love to see other peoples lives. Photos.

For me, it's finding people who have similar interests as me. Obviously. Getting their perspective on life and art be it theirs or someone elses.

Of course, the ultimate, is when you've made friends online and then you get to meet them in real life. This has happened to me a couple of times. One of those experiences turned out to be extraordinarily profound. It was when I met my husband. Believe it or not, the day I met him, was the day we moved in together. Can you believe that? What on earth were we thinking? Clearly neither of us were thinking. We just did it. We'd known each other online for while. We'd talked on the phone. For hours. And then decided to meet. The when and where changed each week until eventually due to my own personal circumstances, I actually moved in with him.

Real people. Real lives. He was as real to me as he'd been when I knew him online. His honesty was true. He was everything he appeared to be and more. Nothing fake. Nothing made up. Pure reality. My story isn't unusual. We have other online friends, now married, who met the same way. Online. Meet for the first time and end up together from the moment on.

Yep. Real people and real lives.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

di, love this post...i like your writing style, very warm and personal...why haven't you put your name in my giveaway pot??? go!

Niecey said...

Wow, I guess I never knew how you two met. Yeah I agree, the internet is not just a bunch of computers, it's PEOPLE behind the computers, sharing their emotions and thoughts. It's personal for sure.

Dani said...

LOL! I didn't know that! Oh, you bad, bad girl! *smile* Reminds me a bit of how and when I met Michael...
lots of love, Dani

Shalae said...

This is so true Di! I love to "people watch" others online, look into their lives, learn about them, and I can't imagine all the awesome friends and associates I wouldn't no if I have a fear of all the "dishonesty" aspect that the internet can have. There are just too many awesome people out there that I can get to know and I don't want to miss out on that. I didn't know that's how you guys met either, what a great story!

Sue said...

Well what a GREAT time to visit :-)

Just spent an hour trying to sort out my favourites folders and there you were :-)

Di! I haven't spoken with her in an age I though and so here I am :-)

Just look at this post . . . coincidence or fate? :-)

I LOVE what you have written here. Apart from the last two paragraphs, (I didn't meet Ian on-line :-) You have eloquently put in to words what I actually believe too :-)

Please may I use your words in a post and link to you?

Not currently posting, (not been too well and so the black dog took it's chance and came a visiting too). BUT I'll be back soon :-)

Going to scroll down and catch up.

Take Care . . . Sue :-)