NORMAL LIFE: The Friends We Never See

In a recent posting, I questioned whether we know too much, suggesting that perhaps the internet has made us aware of too much of what's going on in the world. In this posting, I am going to praise the internet for how it has bought people together, helping us to remain in contact although we may be very much apart.

I met 'Bruce' online more than five years ago. He lives in Australia and we have never met. Over that time, we have exchanged photos, Christmas cards and shared memories, both happy and sad. While he lives on the other side of the world, ten hours head of me in Sydney, sometimes we just happen to be logged into MSN Messenger a the same time. We both live very different lives, but deep down he strikes me as an honest, fun-loving guy who would like to meet someone special. Having said that, he's certainly making the most of life in the meantime :-)

Then there is Wia, my dear friend in South Africa. Like myself, Wia has a Cochlear Implant and we met online in 1999 when I was researching cochlear implantation as an option for myself. She guided me through the process, introducing me to people along the way, helping me to put my mind at rest. She visited the UK during Summer 2001 and, in February 2005, we met again when I visited her in South Africa. We spent an amazing 16 days together. We haven't been in touch that much lately, but we both lead busy lives and both know that, despite the miles, we are thinking of one another.

The most recent addition to my online buddies is a witty chick who calls herself 'Blue' for no logical reason whatsoever! We met during our Masters in Marketing residential weekends and, since doing an assignment on Word of Mouth, have become avid Bloggers. Internet aside, we have a lot in common and, during out chats, we have bonded. We send email every day to add a bit of variety to our working days and I don't know how I would have got through the last few months without her advice and daily online presence.

At a time when people have a habit of coming into your life and taking the best bits before pissing off, it's nice to know that these people have remained, albeit at a distance. Perhaps this distance is what makes certain friendships last. While humans may be regarded as social animals, they are incredibly private; via the internet, we are able to control how much social contact we have with the world, albeit on a virtual plane and there's nothing better than spending hours online, especially during the Finnish winters, laughing and joking with my online pals.