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The Treasure of Cyber Friends
Posted On 12/17/2021 21:13:21 by yourchoice

We have seen so many changes in the last several generations, and this past year, with many of us who have time to spare, may have reconnected with friends from our past, and some who we may have never met in person. Technology has given all of us the ability to communicate quickly with friends who live on the other side of our planet. Gone are the days of pen and ink used to write letters that were delivered by the Postal Service, sometimes weeks after it was posted.

Even though we understood that we would never meet in person, I have learned that two of my treasured cyber friends (Clydene and Barb), who I met on the NOTH website, have come to the end of their earthly journey. We enjoyed many chats online over the years and looked forward to meeting at our Eternal Home.

Clydene was the first person who sent me an invitation to be her friend, and I was pleased to accept. Her home was in an area that we would pass through on a planned road trip to Branson, MO. I have never forgotten the unexpected email from her, inviting us to stop by her home to enjoy some iced tea and conversation on her porch. It was an opportunity to meet face to face, but a local hurricane caused us to take a different route, and we didn’t get to her home. We continued to exchange many private messages on The Hill, sharing our interests, our hobbies, and even our families. I enjoyed reading her stories that she posted in Blogs on NOTH.

Barb introduced me to her location on the island country that my father visited on one of his ‘after retirement’ travel experiences. A visit to New Zealand was added to my ‘Bucket List’. I enjoyed Barb’s strong personality, her love of music, and determination to ‘keep learning’. Her independence was front and center, and I never had to wonder what she was thinking. She was opinionated and was quite willing to express it. I was attracted to that personality and our cyber ‘visits’ were often very long. We rarely exchanged graphics and pretty pictures, but enjoyed word ‘pictures’ that helped develop a treasured friendship.

Friends (and including me) have often expressed disappointment in the changes in the activities on NOTH… friendships seemed to be more about pretty graphics that are available to any and all computer users, instead of developing a friendship that may become a treasure. Years ago, many of us were introduced to Pen Pals in school. We learned to write letters to someone our age who lived in another country. For some, the friendships that developed in school were treasured for many years, but rarely presented the opportunity to meet in person.

I miss the emails from Clydene and Barb, but am so thankful for their friendship. I treasure the ongoing cyber friendships that I still have, even though I have not been as active online these past several months. I appreciate the emails, the private messages and comments posted on my page, and the patience of my friends with the late or forgotten replies.

They are my treasured cyber friends.


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Viewing 1 - 6 out of 6 Comments

01/04/2022 23:09:30

Hi Mona - So glad to read another blog from you.  I find everything you write so interesting and knowing how you and hubby have made it thru the isolation period, to things opening up for you, to your interests and what you are up to these days.  Both you and MomtoCam have such a way with words, it's always a great time reading what both of you have written.  I keep in touch with a few friends with emails, texts or once in a while a phone call.  Sometimes its a note attached to a graphic.  I get emails from a classmate who is instrumental in organizing our class reunions, and those that respond to her from all different places.  She keeps us up to date on who has passed and small get-togethers.  I also appreciate the cyber friends I have met as I'm very fussy about the people I associate in real life.  So here's to you, Mon; thank you for giving us all a great read and letting us into your life!  



12/20/2021 23:09:25

[quote="momtocam"]

Over the last 15 or so years, I have found a few close cyber friends. We just *clicked*, and have remained in constant contact. Many of them live in other States. One from Arizona I met 3 years ago (her home state)...when my husband and I visited Phoenix to see his parents. Annette and I met way back in 2002 or 2003 from another site. Others, I have talked to over the phone. We share cards throughout the years as well. I miss the interaction of fellowship and being around others (like I had when I worked for many years). I've looked back and reminisced about those days gone by. But, some of these former co-workers live in the area still, so do run into the, from time to time. Getting back to cyber friends...I am so grateful for their presence in my life. I appreciate them so much..and you too Mona. Even though I might not get to a lot of pages as often as I would like to, please know you are special here. I've always enjoyed reading your blogs and being able to know how things in your life are going. I look forward in continuing the friendship and fellowship here at the Hill. Thanks so much for this blog -:)

[/quote

Thank you for you kind words... and I identify with your comments to my blog. This year, in the months of isolation, etc. has given opportunity to contact friends, in the neighborhood, and friends from our past. We should have been celebrating the 60th Reunion of my nursing class, many who live in other countries. Now it is the emails, facetime, personal photos sent on the Internet that we can enjoy and maintain a long friendship. Again, it is the words that are the most personal. Now you know why my collection of blogs is called MRB's Talking Fingers! 
SMILE ... 



12/20/2021 22:52:57


Altara3 wrote:

Good morning, Mona. Nice to see you! I still have 'pen pals' (since 1970's)--one doesn't have a computer so I 'write' via snail mail; I do email with a few others plus a couple of 'old friends' from my school years. As you know, I love 'making' pretty graphics, so I use those a lot on here--because I like to show my creative side. That's my fav 'craft' since I don't do sewing or painting, etc.   But yes...I like to do messages here as well & post comments when I can.   I know many are much busier than I am, so I appreciate when anyone takes the time to leave me a quick comment. I mainly keep in touch via Groups here. Like you, I also miss some of my old friends who have passed--or just 'left' here. Some of the latter, I am in touch with at FB.

I really enjoyed having pen pals, but our contacts didn't last as long as you have. We communicated with hand written letters delivered by the Postal Service. The next best thing was writing letters to my nursing classmates (which was also before the computers). I am familiar with creative graphics but it has been my experience that you accompany your graphic with a message or chat. I've created graphics with you too. Keep it up ... creativity is great, and with the tools available online, I've met quite a few people who have learned to create lovely and simple graphics that accompany their messages and comments. 



12/20/2021 22:30:11


nightfall wrote:

It's always said to hear when our online friends have passed on. I never had the chance to meet the two friends you are writing about. I'm sad about that. As far as graphics go I like to post a pic in my friends guestbooks to give them a smile for the day. I also like to tell about my day at times. Not everyone responds well to getting to know each other better. Sometimes it just takes time. Speaking of pen pals, I still write to one of mine through the snail mail. Thank you for your friendship Mona. Blessed Be.

Thanks so much for your comments. I did have two pen pals but never met them and they have passed on many years ago. Regarding the beautiful scene graphics that you include in your comments, I enjoy them and leave them on file, but the very large graphics that arrive in comments with no words ... and no understanding why they were sent, is what I really don't understand. I am a 'people' person, and always look forward to getting to know a person who has invited me to be on their list of friends. 
I have a lot of catching up to do these last several months, because I haven't been able to be here on The Hills very often.



12/18/2021 14:07:05

Over the last 15 or so years, I have found a few close cyber friends. We just *clicked*, and have remained in constant contact. Many of them live in other States. One from Arizona I met 3 years ago (her home state)...when my husband and I visited Phoenix to see his parents. Annette and I met way back in 2002 or 2003 from another site. Others, I have talked to over the phone. We share cards throughout the years as well. I miss the interaction of fellowship and being around others (like I had when I worked for many years). I've looked back and reminisced about those days gone by. But, some of these former co-workers live in the area still, so do run into the, from time to time. Getting back to cyber friends...I am so grateful for their presence in my life. I appreciate them so much..and you too Mona. Even though I might not get to a lot of pages as often as I would like to, please know you are special here. I've always enjoyed reading your blogs and being able to know how things in your life are going. I look forward in continuing the friendship and fellowship here at the Hill. Thanks so much for this blog -:)



12/18/2021 05:33:45

It's always said to hear when our online friends have passed on. I never had the chance to meet the two friends you are writing about. I'm sad about that. As far as graphics go I like to post a pic in my friends guestbooks to give them a smile for the day. I also like to tell about my day at times. Not everyone responds well to getting to know each other better. Sometimes it just takes time. Speaking of pen pals, I still write to one of mine through the snail mail. Thank you for your friendship Mona. Blessed Be.





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