Ponderings on a shrinking world

Firstly, thankyou for the comments on my blip yesterday. My eye has recovered from being stabbed by my fingernail and scrawped by the lens at close range - the things we do for our 'art'!

I came home today to find a letter from a fellow blipperin South Africa.

So, thank you Cecile, for taking the time to write, to find little commerative bits and bobs, and for going to the post office and sending the letter with the special World Cup stamp. That will be going into Corin's collection, no question. Your efforts are very much appreciated and brought a smile to this girl's face.

The words in the final paragraph struck a chord
"Moving within the borders of Blip, our world has become so small, distance wise, because within a moment, within a next image, a blipper might find himself half way round the world. The amount of knowledge and insight gained is immeasurable".

Cecile has summed up for me one of the aspects of blip that I personally value so very much, and I know others do to. Her words have caused me to ponder a little too.

The world changes, technology brings with it so many disadvantages, but so many advantages too. I, like you all, have made so made friends in this community. I was going to say "virtual community" but there is nothing virtual about it. We meet, we share our lives, open our hearts, rant, rave, celebrate the joyous moments and take support from each other in those moments of life where a darkened room seems inately preferable to dealing with reality. It is real. Even without meeting everyone that we have contact with, we have established friendships that are valuable I think. No, I know.

Talking to another photographer a couple of weeks back, we were discussing how dismissive people can be about online communities, and more so about meeting people who are 'strangers' because you have met them online. I am very firm in my belief that we should take every possible step to protect ourselves from harm and danger, and I teach my students about safe internet practices and not doing silly things. But then, as an adult, I have met a number of people through blip who have turned into genuinely valued and respected friends, who two years ago were strangers to me. I am not sure that meeting some random person at a music concert, in a pub, at a climbing wall and subsequently developing friendships or relationships (and in my case, marriage!) is any different than "making friends" in a virtual environment. Any one of the people you bump into on a day to day basis could be just as bonkers or dangerous as a person on the internet! I should know, I fall into the bonkers category.

Random ramblings.

So, to my blip friends, old, newer and still to be found, I say thank you for what you bring to me and I hope that I contribute something worthwhile back to you. You are my audience, briefly every day, who I know listen to my voice through my words, laugh along, cry along and give me a place where I can be open, honest and forthright without being criticised or judged.

That's what friends are for. Thanks Cecile for prompting me to reflect on that.