Blurring of the Lines
A funny thing happens when you become involved in the social networks. After a while those strangers you’ve networked with start to feel like friends. A few even begin to feel like family.
I recently took a break from Twitter and Facebook for a week or so while some stresses in my real world were getting to me. My typical reaction to stress is to hibernate. To drop off the radar for a while.
A funny thing happened. My “social network” friends noticed. Within a couple of days I had received several “are you okay?” messages. The line had blurred. Network contacts had become concerned friends. The real world friends didn’t notice there was anything wrong but the social media friends did.
Sometimes just the smallest gestures of concern can pull you out of a slump. I’m really happy the lines have blurred. I feel very rich in friendship right now.
1. Glad you’re back in the loop — I always love seeing your tweets.
2. I think you’re touching on a BIG issue here. Increasingly we’re not going to make distinctions between “real” friends and SN / online / virtual friends. They’re just friends.
Tally-ho!
Wish I could feel that with twitter. Maybe because it moves at a million miles an hour and only now and then I get a response to it, that I feel any connection to it. Moreso with LJ and FB, because I’ve had my LJ for so long (and more text means more personal to me) and FB because I know a lot of the people in RL.
I think that perhaps Terry you don’t have the right people on your list. :o)
For me, I surround myself with people that I enjoy and find myself getting to know and to care about. When they are missing it may take a day or two to notice they have dropped off of my Twitter stream–but I do notice.
Hugs to you Merlene…life’s a roller coaster hold on for dear life during the dips because that roller coaster is eventually going to take an upward turn-perhaps after a few killer spirals.
Lean on your friends for support and help–just ask, you know we are here for you.
…and I’m a hibernator myself when things get tough so I can appreciate that need.
I noticed your absence and was told something was going on. I hope this post means things are getting better and you’re starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Hope to see you back on twitter when you’re ready.
Take care.
Terry I think it takes a while before Twitter “clicks” for some people. I have 400+ that I follow and who follow me. I don’t feel close to the majority of them but there are definitely a number which I’d now call friend, a couple I’d call family.
Twitter needs conversation. Random statements answering “what are you doing” don’t often generate the conversation but responding to others, engaging in discussions regularly you’ll find it’ll “click” for you too.
Thanks for the comments everyone. You’re awesome