Internet Friendships

[beckyg]

Last night I lost a friend. I met Sue in a small yahoo group with people who believe in reincarnation, soulmates, and who have a common bond. We all love Garth Brooks. We've been corresponding for probably about 10 years now. Sue was a very loving person who never said a bad thing about anybody. She was always very supportive if I was hurting and encouraged me in my work with PFLAG and gay rights. She was a wonderful person! She had been battling cancer for a couple years now. She'd get better for awhile only to have the cancer return. Whoever says you can't love an internet friend, is very much mistaken because I loved Sue! The last e-mail that I sent to her said just that! Sue was the editor of a country music magazine in England called Southern Country. She leaves her husband who loves her very much and her two sons. One of them is in a heavy metal band called Vallenbrosa (www.vallenbrosa.com) which is becoming more successful all the time. She was always very proud of her family. She will be missed so much! :tears:

[sngl]

10 years!! Wow, that's a long time!
I agree, you can definitely love an internet friend. I'm so sorry for your loss.. (*hug*)

[Psychedelic Bookmarks]

awww, becky, i'm sorry (*hug*). well you can take comfort in the fact that she's not gone, but just moved on? :) at least it's better to love and lose than never love (sorry too tired for more than the old cliches today lol) (*hug*)

[heatqueen]

Aww I'm so sorry...yes it's possible to love an internet friend..look at me and Regina..meeting up soon.

[Astaroth]

(*hug*) I'm sorry to hear this, Becky. The only comfort I can give is that she certainly impacted a lot of lives in her time and must have been a wonderful friend and confidant. I'm sure you'll meet in the next life!

[beckyg]

I hope so Astaroth! :)

[s5m1]

Becky, I am so sorry to hear about your loss. It sounds like she was a wonderful person who touched a lot of lives.

[pirateninja]

I'm sorry to hear that. She sounds like a lovely person and she will be sadly missed. I can only hope I keep in touch with my internet friends as long as you did.

*checks out Vallenbrosa as they sound like my kinda music*

[beckyg]

Somehow I think some of the people on this list will be in touch for a very long time. :)

[Sam]

Becky I am so very sorry for your loss! I do believe you can love an internet friend and I'm sure she loved you as much as you loved her. I can only imagine how much your love and support during her battle with cancer meant to her. Cancer is a very sore subject for me right now and although my mom obviously isn't an internet friend of mine, I can only hope I'm as big a support to her as you were to your friend. Her family and friends (yourself included) are in my thoughts.

By the way I deeply care about all of my EC friends I honestly don't know where I would be without all of you so I do think that internet friends can often be some of the bestest (yes I know thats not a word) friends you will ever have.

[Hollywood]

i'm so sorry, becky :(

[Bromptonrocks]

Becky - I'm so sorry to hear your news.....I'm thinking of you...

[katmando]

Becky, sorry for your loss. Although the internet is filled with people who are not so nice(not here, other forums) I have met a lot of wonderful people one here and other forums that will always have a place in my heart.

Sorry for your loss
Justin

[panda]

To have such a friendship is a wonderful gift. One that you'll always have.:eusa_pray

[Zak]

Im sorry becky. 10years!WOW! hey, a few months on this website and i already love some of my internet friends....Cooper and Tezzy bear!

[Face Smasher]

Wow, sorry about your loss.

And I agree, you can DEFINITELY love an internet friend. My therapist is usually right on 2.most thing, but there's three things I disagree with:

1. that internet friendships are superficial
2.That we have to accept homophobia because it's as much of a belief as religion (something like that)
3. and that looking at furry art is harmful to yourself because it's not real.

Wow, I strayed totally off topic here.

[CrimsonThunder]

Vallenbrosa sure look good, hope they make it big in the metal scene and I see them down the road in a few years.

Thats a sad story Becky. :( Hope ur feeling better.

[Hydrogen]

I am very sorry Becky. I know how real internet friends can become. I was friends with someone I met on officer.com and was devastated when I learned he had a heart attack.

[beckyg]

Thanks guys! You all made my day a little brighter. :)

[TriBi]

I'm sorry Becky...:icon_sad:

I'm surprised how many people I know on the net now that I would consider "friends". It is still possible to really connect with people/personalities you don't meet face to face.

It is also a great (& easy) way to keep in people you do know but are distant from. What did we ever do before YIM/MSN, email, internet, etc?

I remember when I was young and travelling ('70's - yes...I've made no secret of the fact that I'm an old fart ;)) - no such thing then - and international phone calls were VERY expensive and unreliable from developing countries. My poor mother used to wait for a card/letter from me - mainly from out of the way third world countries. I can just imagine her, when she got one, thinking "Ah...he's OK :)" - then 5 minutes later realising it had been posted 2 weeks prior and getting worried all over again.:eek:

[beckyg]

Yes, your poor mother! That must have been torture! Two of my three kids are living in other states and I cannot even imagine not having my free long distance or the internet to stay in touch with them. Of course, without the Internet they may not even be living in those states since both met their partners on the Internet.

The Internet has given me lots of opportunities to learn about other cultures and to make friends with people I would have never known. I have surprised myself at the length of some of the friendships that I've had with people online. Some were like Sue, a real treasure, and some were not. I had the opportunity this past summer to meet up with a couple of the women from our little yahoo group and it was great fun. One of them had gone to England and actually met Sue. So even though we had not all had the opportunity to come together in one time and one place, it was like we were all very connected. One thing about my new age friends, I have never known them to be judgmental or homophobic at all. The circumstances in which we all came together were pretty amazing too. I don't think there is such a thing as coincidence.

[sdc91]

My condolences to the family and friends that survive her. It's always sad when someone you know passes away, personally or through the internet. =(