Sometimes that's how the Internet feels to me.
Gina and I "met" on the Internet, nearly 8 or 9 years ago. We were both a part of an online message board (back before most of the population had heard of message boards and Facebook wasn't even a glimmer in spoiled rich kids eyes). It was a small group of women and, as time went on, it became smaller as people phased in and out of the community. But there is a core group of women there that I consider among my dearest friends. They have done a lot of life with me and my family.
So back in late 2002 or early 2003 (we can't quite remember), I drove north from New Braunfels to Dallas to meet Gina and another friend from those boards. I picked her up at a restaurant, in broad daylight. Her husband gave me the quick fact check to make sure I wasn't a crazy stalker and next thing we knew, we were in my little Honda (named Helen Wheels), buzzing down the interstate, talking a mile a minute.
It was like we'd known each other forever. Which we sort of had but you know, hadn't actually met until that moment.
Over the years, we see each other now and again. But we are daily a part of each other's lives along with our other sisters from this community. We're on Facebook, we talk on the phone, we meet up when we're in the same vicinity or close to it, often driving hours just to hug each other's necks. And yes, we still have a little message board, too.
While on a mind boggling 9 week road trip, Gina stopped over in Abbotsford with her husband and their four children. That makes 10 people in my house. And my dishwasher has been broken for a month so by the time we finish supper, there is an entire meal on the floor and we are washing every single dish in my kitchen until 8:30 at night. There are toys strewn everywhere. The noise level is impressive. Anne is absolutely in love with her two daughters and Joseph is only slightly annoying the big boys with his repeated "Hi! Hi! Hi!" They are fast friends, the 6 of them, already. And at night, when we get them all settled into bed, after labouring beside each other in this business of mothering, getting meals on the table, yakking, soothing, disciplining, we sit down to have a cup of tea and just exhale. We are too busy and tired to pull out our cameras and so in my head I'm "clicking" on the images of Anne and Laura, dressed up in princess costumes, hugging each other good night and Joseph studiously playing legos with Philip and Martin pontificating to the "little ones" as he calls them about the Berenstein Bears and how this episode means you're NOT SUPPOSED TO COVET which made Anne blink and Laura just takes it all in stride, explaining to Anne in an aside, "He likes to tell us what things mean."
I sat there, two nights ago with Brian and her Dude (which is what she calls him online as he's a seminary professor with little inclination to be written about on the Internet), across from her on my couch, talking about life and homes and technology and how weird it is that she's here and we're here and we're all friends and that we love each other. Even though we are very different, somehow, we've found a heart friend and it's a friendship that lasts.
It lasts even during breakfast this morning when, after eating her blueberry oatmeal, my precious daughter promptly barfed it all up on the kitchen floor. My true friend didn't blink an eye, wiped everything up, leaving me to tend to Anne and carried on without a twitch.
So much for our tourist plans today. I've got one with the flu now so we're just hanging out at home, making grilled cheese sandwiches and phone calls.
And who says the Internet doesn't create community?
(Also, our fellow girlies - we wish you were here too. Someday, we'll all be together.)
Do you have an online community that you are a part of? Have you ever met anyone from online "in real life?" Or do you think we're just a bit insane?
