Don't You Sometimes Wonder?

I wonder, what would it be like to meet the people I've come to 'know' through blogging and social media? It's one thing to interact from behind a screen, but another to actually see what a person is like outside cyber world. I've seen a handful of my facebook friends in public, but there seems to typically be a line most of us won't cross by acknowledging that we 'know' one another.

Many on social media accrue the friends in their lists for a variety of reasons and through many different means. Maybe you're fans of the same sports team or you met at some event, connected through friends, or simply liked their profile pic. Whatever the reason your cyber friend connections came to be, it is likely rare that any of us can say we know each and every person on our lists personally.

As far as I'm concerned whatever works for you is great. I doubt that I will meet many of the people I've friended over the years that I hadn't already known. I do know that for the most part, those I do know, I know more about in some instances. These people with their hobbies, interests, accomplishments and humor make my days just that much brighter.

My social media interactions won't take place of the time spent in-person with those I call friends. Thankfully that isn't necessary to maintain the best of both worlds. There are some great benefits to on-screen interactions. Immediate feedback, exposure to numerous points of view, people who are generally on their better behavior when it comes to commenting and posting. Of course there are definitley those who do the opposite of that, and they actually have a beneficial purpose too. They are reminders of what we don't want to be, of the work we still have to do as a society, and an example for how not to conduct yourself online.

I've met several people who have added more than just a smile to my day. Somehow, whether it's in a group, through a comment thread on a post, or they show up in your newsfeed at the perfect times, many of the people I do not know outside of social media have exposed me to an accepting and wonderful world. The opportunity to be supportive, as well as gain encouragement is huge, and one thing I will never overlook. There are definitely a few of these friends that I'd like to meet in person some day. I suspect our differences might keep the interactions to what they are today, but sometimes all that needs to happen is to be able to see how a person holds themselves, and what they look like when they laugh. Those are the things that never leave us when we cross paths on the physical plain.