"Those people of yours..."

[windinthemaples]

My father has never, ever used a computer. Someone recently bought him his first, a laptop, and I spent some time getting it all set up and wi-fi'd. He still hasn't turned it on--even with the lure of weekly photos of his grandchildren and letters when he's feeling lonely. I honestly doubt he ever will. In fact, my brother and I seem to be the first generation of computer users in our family...and my brother only uses an email for work or the occasional electronic greeting card. My aunts and uncles might have an email address or two, but there is no real use of the internet (or even Solitaire!) among them.

Dad and I were talking yesterday about SpiralScouts and my visit to see Rhiannon in North Carolina, and the phrase "going to meet those people of yours" came out. He likes to distinguish computer people from, you know, real people. The same guy who wants to send to Mumbai, sight unseen, for a subservient, grateful, Bollywood beautiful 20-something year old mail order bride thinks meeting people, making friends, through the internet is absurd and shallow.

Interesting viewpoint.

I get the vital difference between knowing someone online and off. It is easier to live behind social masks online, where you can be absolutely anyone you want to be. I strive to bridge the gap, to travel and meet those I feel the most kinship with, to expand my circle of friendship outwards through the internet and not shrink it down because I'm spending time on the internet. Their number, "those people" of mine, none too shabby, include both my husbands, neva_butterfly, rubymulligan, deadskream, ilea, mermaiden, willow_cabin, wanderlustlover, sakai_yukari, and mrsbrewer.

All would have been near impossible to meet had I left it to chance grocery-store encounters.

Thanks, internet...for bringing "those people" and many more into my life. :D