Online Friends vs. RL Friends

I love Garth Brooks. I knew the Garth that was an original back then, me in my Rocky Mountain jeans and ropers (all colors..lace up). I saw him on his World Tour this year and was amazed! He’s still got it…

The song “Low Places” makes me think of my friends everywhere. I’ve been on social media for years.. Twitter. Instagram and of course, Facebook. What I’ve come to find out is that online friends can become real life friends, even if you never meet them in person.

My history with Twitter and Instagram is rich. I’ve interacted with thousands of people for years. They’ve become friends in my phone.

When it gets real is when they become glorious real life friends that you can touch and hug ❤️

In 2013 I got engaged to a man in Michigan. I lived in Texas when this happened. I was making the move to Michigan and would be working in downtown Detroit. I didn’t know anyone but said fiancée “T”and his family at the time.

Years before through Twitter I made friends with a guy named Pete. We had similar political interests. We followed each other over to Instagram and through Pete I met the most amazing woman, Danielle. She lived in Canada and she and I just clicked. We interacted every day. We became online friends. We shared phone numbers. I also had two IG friends, Jen and Jesse who lived in Michigan but I didn’t know it at the time.  Around the time I was about to move to Michigan Danielle posted a picture of Detroit, saying “Good Morning!” I immediately commented and said what are you doing there?? I’m about to move to Michigan!

The rest is history. This woman I admired so much was less than an hour away from me. I moved and within days got to meet and hug her for the first time. I was ecstatic! I then met Jen and Jess and we all just clicked. About three months in to living with the fiancée I left him. Left the ring on the counter and left. I drove to Canada and spent that 4th of July weekend with Danielle and her family, in the pool, drinking and laughing and golfing. She healed me.

The four of us did everything together for 18 months before I packed up and moved home. We were sad but they knew I needed to be home with my kids and family. During that year and 1/2 there were incredible losses. One of my friends lost both of her parents. I was given the gift of Jen’s friendship and got to be there for her father, whom I loved, in his last moments. I spent time in her basement getting to know her family and friends. My other friend had a longtime relationship fail and we became roomies for a short while until I moved home. My sweet Danielle had challenges at home and she’s broken free from a rotten marriage. I’m so proud of her for that.

In short, I met the people in my phone. Not just “met” them, but made lifelong unbreakable bonds with three amazing women.

Don’t ever discount social media and the impact it can have on your life. I consider my friends in my phone to be real friends. I’m slowly meeting many of them in person and it’s fun to do.

I’ve got friends in virtual places.. Where the selfies abound and the comments chase my blues away. And I’ll be OK. 

-THAT Crazy Girl

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