This Virtual World

It makes me wonder what the future will hold.

Blogging gives me the strange sense that we all might know more about each other than we really should, or maybe even deserve too. Building friendships takes years - or at least it did. Learning about people used to take being with them, being considerate enough to ask interested questions, and showing care and compassion. But that's been changing.

Communicating electronically is often simply reading what someone else has written without any dialog or discussion. Without even meeting someone, we can develop a distinct opinion of their value and worth and character.

I had a dear friend tell me today how brave she thought I was to have this blog. I guess I have been in the blogging virtual world long enough to become desensitized to people's candidness. I think that the trend is that many people have a much lower sense of privacy. I write mostly like I speak and aside from some not-to-glamourous observations of myself, I could talk about what I've said with just about anyone.

My mother sent me a lovely email. It helped me make a connection I hadn't thought about before. She has always enjoyed writing. I have never written much (other than my personal journal). This blog gives her a way to see me through my writing. It is easier in some ways to articulate a point in writing than in casual conversations. The problem lies in being careful what to say, because on a public blog, it is open to ALL.