Reflections on Friendship
My sweet 17 year old puppy went to Doggy Heaven a few weeks ago. On that difficult Saturday, I posted about my heartache on Facebook. As word spread, I was surrounded by virtual hugs for several days afterward from many folks who I have known over the years. In a time of sorrow, I was lifted up by my friends, many of whom had known Sadie. Many of my friends at South Salem even remembered when I brought her to school with me when she was a puppy! My students enjoyed hearing Sadie stories, and she was truly part of my family.
I was reminded of the importance and value of friendship and relationships. My friends from several years past were quick to express concern. A few even went so far as to send me notes and cards in the mail. One of my newer friends called me up and basically insisted that I go for a walk with her and then go out to grab something to eat, even though I was quite resistant at the time. It turned out to have been just what I needed to clear my head.
What does this have to do with technology, the focus of this blog? Nothing…except to remind me and others like me that technology and computers will never replace those face to face friends that we’ve made over the years. We may communicate through Facebook, Twitter, email, etc., but we had a relationship first that just can’t be replicated online.
Face to face friends are golden!
