Crossing the threshold

It's one thing us sitting here, each in front of our computers writing our blogs, getting to know other bloggers. From a mild interest to becoming almost absorbed with their lives. Sharing the joys of new babies to the tears of very difficult times. Like a support group where people share and we each get to reflect on our own circumstances. Sometimes drawing comfort that our situation is not so bad after all, sometimes learning real skills, and sometimes increasing our knowledge base.

Then somewhere along the line something happens and one arranges to meet up. That other blogger whose pictures adorn their blog suddenly becomes a larger than life person crossing your threshold. Someone who one has become fond of, with their words and photos, comes to life in a different way. Egotistically one could think of life revolving around us and our blog friends being relationships "we" have only created; perhaps even conjured and just mythical. Even though these are wonderful people and our words touch each other there is still the fear that perhaps we are just making it up. That this isn't real and not valid.

Added to that, we have the off-line fears generated by the media and non-netty types that it is a scary world out there with the internet full of axe wielding maniacs. So heaven forbid, the thought of physically meeting a person met online is an anathema. But as I have been happily married for nine years to the wonderful Mr Doris who I met online back in 1998, I really don't have such an issue.

The very interesting thing about having met this blogger now a couple of times is that the words and pictures are real. A real human being and all those sentiments expressed prior to meeting really are true to the heart. It wasn't just a figment of my imagination. They were not just empty words - on either side. That one can come across some amazing people in the blog world. With geographical distances being what they are, it isn't often possible to meet up with those that we have connected with, but I am reassured that, mainly, our words are not empty ones.

Peace.