Thankfully, in this day of seeming ubiquitous connectivity, to not know how a person is at any one moment in time (or so it seems, with some) is almost impossible. Indeed for some people, if we don’t know how they are then we do know something is wrong (even if simply with their iPhone!) 😉
In olden times (when I was a girl) people would need to make an effort to find out, whether with a phone call or popping in on a person (we did more of that then, but then we needed to). So if we were feeling particularly low and times were a bit tough for whatever reason – health, family, money, mood – it would not necessarily be common knowledge. Now all it takes is a quick tweet or Facebook update and our online chums know how we are. And often the response can be enough to lift us – whether just one person offering a virtual hug or a long list of encouraging comments in the time it takes to make a cuppa.
So recently, as I work through my own and my family’s latest strifes, I can see that just about everyone else has plenty of their own to work through. Not everyone, of course, but most it seems, lately. It may be health – more of my friends and peers have health issues now – pesky age, I suppose. It may be financial – who isn’t finding it lean and sometimes a bit scary just now. It may be relationship woes and breakdowns. It may be a mix or even culmination of all the above. It’s something that while it does not make my own overwhelm any less, it does lift that lonely feeling of despair, at least a little. It does help to realise it’s not just me, it’s rubbish for just about everyone just now.
This is not my most Pollyanna of posts but I really do think it can help to be aware of the wider situation and climate. These are tough times when I guess we need to knuckle down a bit, focus but also be aware that we are pretty much in this together. And it has to be better to hold out a hand in order to pull someone up as we climb out of the mire, or even if it’s to keep plodding alongside someone as we to get through it all. It’s really not just you – take heart, be strong and we’ll get there (wherever “there” may be).
Babs
I derive much comfort , and I hope I sometimes can be in a position of support through internet exchange. It’s an interesting phenomena – one can be cynical about virual friendship but there is a reality there nevertheless which can be creative and warm. I still believe that nothing beats a real conversation however.
Incisive blog post 🙂
If we reach out by phone , by tweet or email we know that there is someone who will listen and support us.
Thank you, Steven. And yes, it’s rare that there isn’t someone to hear us if we reach out first. A tweet or a Facebook update can be easier than calling for help. That may not be the way we should do things, but it’s what some of us are comfortable with.
I’ve made some very strong friendships online, some with people I’ve never met. And while it can be easier to reach out, it can also be easier to misunderstand while during a face to face meeting, that is less likely. Still – for those that cannot get out so much, it’s a lifeline and enables far more than would previously have been possible.
Online friends can sometimes help in a different way, too. if I don’t want to talk about problems it’s difficult to talk to close friends who keep on asking questions. Online friends who don’t know about those problems, don’t ask. It could mean you can continue having a conversation without tears.
A few online friends have been very helpful not so long ago without even knowing it!