Tuesday, December 30, 2008

As the year comes to an end, I feel reflective (not like the lights on your running shoes).

The one thing I think about time and time again is the influence the online message boards and forums have had on my life.

My "online life" only began when I came to Canada almost 8 years ago.
At first I joined a South African chat site where ex-pats would congregate and wax lyrical about all things South African.

Then I made "real friends" with other immigrants, and that was how I was introduced to Scrapbooking, which in turn led me to the vast world of Message Boards, and Forums, and Kit Clubs and Circle Journals, Blogs and R.A.K's (Random Acts of Kindness.

The people I got to know on these forums and blogs shaped my life over the last 8 years, to a large extent.

For the longest time I was happy just having "computer friends".

The good news is that many of those "www friendships" morphed into real relationships.
Of course, as is the case with real life, a few of those relationships (real and online) crashed and burned; some held steady and then slowly died off; some faltered and then self-corrected; some went off track only to be dragged back on again, and some endured...long and faithfully.

Through it all though, I am grateful for those online friends, and real ones too, who have passed and stayed through and in my life.

Here's wishing every single person who stops by here for a read, a very happy and prosperous 2009.

7 comments:

Lynette Jacobs said...

Oh what a sweet "reflective" post. I have to agree with you, I have met awesome people online. (LOL! I have also met sum real "nuts") Thank you for your bloggy friendship. I wish you all the best for the new year.

MonaS! said...

What a wonderful post. I love reading your blog and I wish you a blessed 2009.

Julie said...

happy new year to you and yours lacintha!! i've missed reading your blog, and happy to have found you again!!

Jillian said...

These are some fabulous reflective thoughts, that I can totally relate to!

Happy New Year to you as well!!

Anonymous said...

The things we learn as time goes by...very happy that we endured and made it over the hurdles that were tossed our way throughout the years. Very happy and proud to have you as my friend.

Kim Watson said...

What a lovely post! I admit I too have found some sweet caring friends online.....& my life is certainly richer for having 'met' them.

A very Happy {belated} New Year to you & yours sweety.
Hugs
Kim!

Renee said...

This is a great post Lacintha. I am glad you posted it. Many of my online friends have vanished and many have stayed. Some should have stayed from the start and left for reasons unbenknowst (is that how you spell that?) to the writer of this. For whatever reason, people grow and change and realize that things aren't always what they seemed.

Happy new years to you and your family!