When is Friendship Really Friendship

Last Wednesday, John and I went to a Tweet Up. We had lots of fun with a couple of fantastic ladies. There were also other big in real life meetings happening in my Twitter timeline. For whatever reason, friendships that are started online or even only in cyberspace are not to be taken seriously. There is a smirk that seems to appear anytime these relationships are discussed. It makes me wonder why when you meet someone online, it has to be less than a friendship you make in person. Seeing how everything I hold dear in this life has come to me because of Match.com, I have a fondness for cyberspace, and I am a little tired of the belittling of the relationships that can develop there.
Yes, I have dear friends in this world, some I am related to even, to whom I will always turn in hard times while I will always seek them first to share the good stuff. (This list includes John, who is now blogging at daddyrunsalot.com. Go check his writing out.) Seeing how none of them are home all day like me, I end up talking to a lot of voicemails. So I'll tweet something and/or post it on Facebook. And within minutes, people I have never met or some I haven't seen in a while, are there with their support or just joy in sharing in my happiness. It is totally awesome and can make a hard day easier or a good day better. I think that deserves more than a smirk and an eyeroll.
Ultimately, we want the same thing from any relationship we are in, understanding. We want the people around us to understand what we need, what we like, what we want. We like them to know when to listen and just sympathize or when we really need some advice and help. We like to make them laugh and have them make us laugh. We want to be close to other people. That doesn't always have to be physical proximity. "Luminous beings are we. Not this crude matter." The soul travels even in cyberspace.