I See You

My husband took my daughter and I to see Avatar recently. I'm not a sci-fi/alien/futuristic movie fan but have to admit that this was very well written and, of course, very creatively made.

There's line repeated a few times in the movie: "I see you." It's not just about seeing someone with your eyes. It's more about seeing and knowing someone with your heart, mind, and soul.

Do you "see" your family and friends?

More recently, I was watching an episode of "House". I've always loved medical dramas, and though I don't watch "House" often, I enjoy it now and then. There was a patient on this particular episode that was an intense blogger - posting nearly every detail of her life for the world to see and letting her followers help make her decisions for her, including a decision about an impending surgery. A couple of the doctors that were treating her were discussing whether or not you could really knowa person via the internet only. Or whether or not a face-to-face relationship was necessary to really know someone.

Do you family and friends "see" you?

So, can you really know a person that you only communicate with on-line? I think you can. Granted, it has to depend on the level of honesty of both parties. And on how much "time" you spend with eachother. Not unlike face-to-face relationships.

I have face-to-face relationships ... we all do unless we live on a deserted island ... which doesn't sound so bad somedays! And, I also have on-line relationships ... as so many of us do these days.

I've been on-line friends with a special group of ladies for almost 10 years. I stumbled upon my "Craft Friends" one day while searching the internet and many of us have stayed friends through the years. We've shared our joys and sorrows, our prides and failures; we've watched each other's children grow up in pictures. And even though I've not met one of these ladies in the physical sense, I am still proud to call them my friends.

And, truthfully, I've told them some things that I've never told other people. There's some twisted gene in me that makes speaking my heart and mind via e-mail or on chat so much easier than speaking the same with my real voice. Maybe it's the security of the space between us. Maybe it's the fact that I organize my thoughts better in writing rather than in speaking due to the ease of delete, cut, copy, paste, etc. Maybe just seeing my thoughts in black and white is much more therapeutic than having someone hear them. Maybe I just don't know how to have a real conversation!

Whatever the reason, yes, I do believe you can have true friends in people that you've never met.