I met my husband, John, online. Neither of us thought we would MEET someone on a dating website. So what were we doing on there?? Well, I can’t speak for him but I was trying to avail myself of all options for finding a fabulous partner, to be sure the Universe knew that it was my intention. It was an energetic thing. I thought I would meet the guy at the grocery store when we both reached for the organic kale. My friends said to look cute when I went shopping and only use the little “single girl” carts.

We emailed back and forth for a bit and then I suggested that we meet. Come to find out later, he thought I was being pretty forward. I just don’t think “online” is entirely real. Emails can be sweet (John actually printed and bound our first few months of emails to each other for a wedding present to me. Man skills!)… but you know where the rubber hits the road? On the road!

I have online friends, Twitter heroes, Facebook and other online communities… some of these people I have never met, and may never meet, in person. I get the options for connection that the www has enabled. It can be lovely, like the book of early relationship emails.

It can also be malicious. Nasty comments on perfectly nice blogs, insults slung at people for their appearance, deceit and lying for malintent.

In any case, it’s not a substitute for real life connection… for looking into someone’s eyes, for relating, living with, being inspired by or irritated by another human being as they stand in your physical presence.

Send loving emails and texts. Learn online. Watch hilarious or heart-warming videos. Read soulful, helpful blogs. Join a movement. Get the news or the weather. Find your true love.

Then turn off the computer and hug someone.

Or argue with them, forgive, and grow.

Tell a loved one of your gratitude for their existence and your paths crossing in this lifetime.

Go out to dinner with your friends and turn off your phone as you enter.

Live what you’re learning. Embody it as you go about this business of everyday life.

Forget posting it to Facebook.

Stop.

Breathe in the moment.

 

Tomorrow you can tweet (succinctly) the profound lesson or wisdom you received from being with another.