Cyber Friendship

11.08.05

There’s a group of six women that I talk to daily.  They give advice when I have decisions to make, perk me up and get me to laugh when I’m feeling blah or depressed, support me when I am irritable about the little frustrations that are a normal part of every day life.  They let me vent when I am angry, ramble on endlessly when I’m excited…send me smiles, and hugs, and *smoochies.*  And even presents in the mail for my birthday!

            They’ve been my best girl pals since last June, and I’ve never met a one of them.  We even designed tattoos together …each one similar but different (although not a single one of us has yet to submit to the needle).

            We are 7 straight adult females brought together by a television cable series, of all things, each of us passionate about human rights, and particularly supportive of the right of legal marriage for GLBT persons.  Sometimes you see an “A” tacked on to the end of that string of letters … that’s us, the Allies.  We call our little group the “Asylum,” and we’re not necessarily political in our views, we just don’t keep silent about them anymore. 

            Where did we each find other, 7 straight women all over the age of 20 who think so much alike?

            The internet, of course.

            The question begs, then, is Cyber-friendship real?  I think it canbe.  But I also believe in being cautious of boundaries – don’t provide too much personal information too soon.  In cyber conversation I tend to share all kinds of long detailed stories, about my life, my past, my hopes and dreams… I’m a writer, after all, the words pour out my fingers almost as quickly as they enter my brain…but when it comes to sharing my full name and address…well, there’s always a pause while I think it over.

            My Asylum girls are real friends.  They care, comfort, share, amuse.  We laugh and cry together.  We’ve exchanged addresses and phone numbers.  When my daughter got bit by a dog a package came the very next day – a “get well” teddy bear. 

            So…cyber-friendship can be real, but why bother?  What’s the appeal?

            For me it’s that I’m a wife, a mom, an employee, a writer … and I love to be at home.  It can be tough to find babysitters, and often the thought of getting dressed up to go out with “Real Life” girlfriends is exhausting.  Not to mention the expense of going out to eat, or out to bars and clubs where you can’t really talk anyway.

And yet I love to be social, too.  So I admit I’m a cyber addict and hang out in front of the glowing screen, chatting, laughing, sharing … connecting. 

Thanks toCar, Weth, Neece, Blink, Lu, KJ and De.  You have added much to my life. You know who you are.

 

To read Cyber Friendship from the Reader Weekly archives click the link below ...

http://www.readerweekly.us/issue/344/Sheri_Johnson.html