There are those among us, particularly of the older variety (I may or may not be in this category) that do not believe that a community that only exists online can provide a fulfilling relationship. I tend to disagree.
It's true that the Internet is fraught with peril. You are more likely to encounter a troll (someone who insults others purely to get a rise out of them) than a sympathetic ear. Between trolls, hackers, and people with their filters removed by anonymity, there hardly seems a point. But the one advantage the Internet has is that it brings people together from all over the world. Interested in a certain anime? There's a forum for that. Passionate about birth? There's a facebook group for that. And every now and then, you find a group made of exceptional men and women that you connect with and lifts you up better than anyone IRL, because you only have to travel as far as your computer or iPhone to find them. I in particular am grateful for the community of my two online mothers groups, one that has been together for almost 12 years, and one that has been together for almost 11 years; and my splinter freebirthing group that broke off from a larger, dysfunctional one. It is rare that you find such a safe haven of like-minded individuals that will willingly reach out across the ether and extend a hand to sister that is in need of advice, of comfort, or to share a joy. To someone who has social anxiety and sometimes can't stand to be physically around other people, this is a unique blessing: friendship without pressures.
Thankful Day Five: IRL Community
It's been a long time since I had close friends that I could visit regularly in a physical form. I don't reach out to people often, but I have had really good luck lately opening up to people and finding kinship with them. For day five, I am grateful for my community that exists here around me, and my good friends.
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