You can have a true friend who is, for the most part, virtual. I already knew this of course, but the point was brought home to me today. Literally brought home.

Julie Neidlinger and I met only one time, though we’ve shared many interactions online. She is a “blog friend.” I put scare quotes around that because I’m not so sure of the distinction anymore. Maybe we should just think of our “blog friends” or our “online friends” as friends.

Because if you define friendship as the state of loving another human being enough to put aside your needs, goals and agenda for their sake (which is sort of how my mentor described it), then the friendship of those we know via the virtual web can be every bit as genuine as that of our friends in the very real web of relationships that constitute our lives. We have no need for qualifiers anymore.

 

Today I received a large-ish flat parcel. Julie’s name was above the return address. Because it came today and because of what’s happened in my life recently I had an inkling of what was inside. With that in mind, I set it aside with a note instructing my wife not to open it until we were together. The moment came after dinner, just a few minutes ago.

Inside was a picture, a pencil rendering of this picture. For the second time in the space of seven days I’m stunned into teary-eyed silence by the kindness of a true friend.

Though it doesn’t even begin to express my gratitude… thank you, my friend.