I'm talking about the random people online (like most of us here) who've met and chatted online for who knows how long....for me I've chatted with some of who since I joined Gaia.
So I was wondering-do you consider these people friends/online friends?
I consider you peoples my online posse. wink I think I'm much more open with you which in turn I think may have helped me be open in my life outside Gaia....although, crazy college friends helped with that too.....
Anyway....it was something that got me thinking when I -think- I got into a fight or something with someone I had talked to on Gaia for probably over a year (I'll be nice and not disclose a name in public-although you might be able to figure out who).
This person apparently gets teased (among other things) a lot about being emo by people online and off. So I do my best to console and cheer up this person with my online responses when we chat (even though its difficult to properly convey these emotions online).
Moving on....we fell out of touch for a while....since this person blocked their profile from public viewing so I couldn't leave a comment. But eventually I sent a PM and we started chatting a little again and he unblocked his profile. I think he deleted me from his friends list because when I type a comment I have to enter those two code words too....but I ignored it-deciding it wasn't a big deal....he was still on mine anyway.
Then last week when I checked my friends list to see who was on I noticed his status....which said he was leaving gaia in two days. I asked he about it, feel worried for some reason-due to previous conversations in the past......
I asked if he was going on a trip....and he replied with (something along the lines of...) yes a trip with no return And with the past conversations I worried he might hurt himself or something...even if they were empty threats. I know I've said I would kill myself when I was younger but I never meant it and being catholic-eternal damnation does not appeal to me.
But he said there was a chance he would come back...
Anyway-I was running out of things to say and finally basically told him that I accept the decision that was his to make. I can't really stop you since we're online friends. I can't force you to do anything. But I'll miss you and wish you would stay longer.
Then I tried to make a joke to lighten to mood (because that's the way I am....)
The response I got back-
Quote:
your not an online friend it's a descision of torture or death
I would be lying if I said I wasn't shocked and perhaps a little hurt.....and still concerned. Is that silly of me to react that way to someone I've never met in person? neutral
In the end......he hasn't left Gaia yet (he's still on my friends list and has been online since I started typing this topic-unless he gave his profile to someone else). I'm giving him space ((which is easy because he blocked his profile from the public again))....and only say and ask things on his thread not aren't even directly to him.