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Monday, February 18, 2013

Near and Far

Hey All.

No, that was not an allusion to Celine Dion's song from "Titanic."  It describes where some of my best friends are.

Someone I know from down south recently gave a "shout out" to Facebook because it's allowed so many people to reconnect after years, or even decades, apart.  I join in that shout-out, as it's worked wonders for me as well.  Just in the last year or so:

(A) A friend from way up north discovered the joys of running (as did the rest of this friend's family).  Since then, we've given each other non-stop encouragement, and it's only made us faster and stronger!  :)

(B) A friend from down south took to blogging for self-expression, and for strength through difficult times.  Being able to sympathize, we traded stories.  :(  :)

(C) Several friends from out east:

    (1)  Continued to welcome me as part of the family;  :)
    (2)  Reminded me that they really are my family; and   :)
    (3)  Always seem to have a poker game going; and  :)
    (4)  Apparently share the same goal of self-improvement, and shared that goal !  (Competitors?  Not exactly . . . .)   :D

(D)  A friend out west always gives me a laugh and some good words, time permitting; and  :)

(E)  A friend right here in town resurfaced after much time, and not a moment too soon.  :)

(DISCLAIMER -- THE ABOVE LIST IS NOT ALL-ENCOMPASSING, AND ONLY INCLUDES A FEW EXAMPLES -- pleeeeeeeease, peeps, don't feel slighted if you're not mentioned up here -- sheesh!)

And I owe it all to the phenomenon of social networking.  Since I'm far less outgoing than I appear, I can honestly say that I've had some of the deepest, tightest, and most fulfilling friendships out here in the FB/Twitterverse/blogosphere!

(ummm, Dave . . . not the best choice of words - ya knowwwwwww?)

Yeah, prolly not, LOL!

But I still mean it.  We can't all light up a room in real life, as some of us are just naturally quiet and reticent.  Not everybody just naturally makes friends with everyone they see.  I, for one, give thanks for this 21st Century innovation, as it's allowed many of us to come out of our shells and be ourselves without getting pushed to the side or playing second fiddle.  Even in spite of the backlash types, who question social networking's very existence, because "they" never needed it, I see it only as an absolute good.

And so it should be with "all you lot out 'dere."  This blog has attracted a broader audience since its inception, but all the guys out there who are afraid to assert themselves, afraid to succeed, and trapped into playing a role that someone else cast them in, I haven't forgotten you.

I EXIST.  I MATTER.  I BELONG.  I DESERVE.

Night all!

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