NYC girl scouts circa early 1950's – some of whom I am still in contact with

I recently had a birthday…

Starting over the weekend, many friends on Facebook wished me a happy birthday. 

[FYI – Facebook posts the date of your birth if you want it to show.  Twitter and other sites do not.]

Some of those on Facebook I have met in real life [or IRL as we say] – but most I have never met – or rather – I should say have not yet met.  I am sure I will meet many in the future as we have a lot in common.

Some of my non-social media friends wonder why I call my online friends – friends!  Well to me they are friends.

They were there for me in my depression when my pets died and in my joy when I announced that my son was getting married. 

They are ardent supporters of my writing and my thoughts about politics and life – and they sometimes enjoy my videos and photographs [and even my knitting projects ]

So – what is a friend?

I have friends I see every day, I have friends from years ago that I stay in contact with via phone and visits, and some with whom I am in contact only via email or online.  And of course, my online-only friends.

Is there a difference in these friends?  Yes.  For those from the far ago pasts, and even my not-so-far-ago pasts – we may have different points of view and events on life now – but we once shared a history and that can't be discarded. 

Those histories forge a bond of friendship.  And the social media friends? We are creating our own history and forging a different kind of friendship…

But to me – they are all friends!

Comments? Thank you!