I was catching up on my blog reading this morning and I ran across a blog post, in which the author was pondering The Nature Of Friendship .  Author Bubbleboo, wonders if internet friendships “are as valid as ‘real life’ ones?” “Can you really know someone if you have only ever met via a computer monitor?”  “Are virtual friendships real?

Her answer to all of those questions is “yes”.  I happen to agree with her.  

With the internet being such a huge part of most everyone’s lives now, I think it is natural that we create friendships with people we have never met in person.  Just like when we meet someone new in real life that we have a connection with and we begin the steps to friendship, the same thing can happen with people we meet on the internet.  

Over the last few years, I lost many friends due to my depression.  I did not maintain good contact with them, I am sure I disappointed them when I could not go places with them, and they most likely got fed up with my anger and negativity.  At this time most of my friends are internet friends.

The people on the internet that I consider friends are people I have known for a long time, and have proven themselves trustworthy and honest.  They have stuck by me when I was acting nutty, and consoled me when my heart was broken.  



My internet friends have the guts to tell me when my behavior is inappropriate.  They tell me to keep my chin up when I get  discouraged.  Due to my anxiety and depression and other illnesses, I am home a lot.  My internet friends keep me from getting lonely and keep me in touch with the world. We have laughed together and have cried together.  In short they have been better friends, than most of my real life friends have been.

I do agree with what Bubbleboo said in her Post about exercising caution when you strike up a friendship online.  I think that it takes time to truly get to know someone when your only interaction with them takes place via the computer.  However, I also believe that it takes an equal amount of time and caution when becoming friends with people in real life.  

With the world becoming “smaller” due to the internet, the need and desire for online friendships will continue to grow.  When that need and desire are tempered with the proper caution, I believe our lives will be enriched by the people we befriend electronically.  What do you think?