My intention was never to become a computer user. They seemed to be a whole lot of added busy work to what I was already doing. One of the things I am is a writer. I love writing in my journals and working on articles and books, using my typewriter. To this day, I must hand write everything first and then type them up at the computer. It’s sounds odd…but I do my best writing and thinking when I can feel the paper with my hands and stick the pen in my mouth or click the clicker a hundred times, until I find just the right word I am looking for.
Once the computer was in my house I looked at it like an uninvited guest. I would avoid it. I would walk passed it and turn my head so I wouldn’t see it. I even put a small quilt over it and pretended it was something else. Someone finally said, you know you can play solitaire on that thing and you can play other games against the computer. Hmmm….play against the computer…beat the computer…prove it was just a box of wires and chips and things that were useless compared to the human mind. Sounded like a wonderful thing to do. Beat the blasted computer!!!!
Well, that was the end of my stand off. I started playing against good old Mr. AI and lost. I lost not once, but 5 times in a row. I fluctuated between confusion and solutions to beating him. Yes, the computer became a man…Mr. Artificial Intelligence, my nemesis. My nemesis led me to a new world…the Internet.
Once I was on the Internet, I got involved in a couple of really nice groups. I liked the people…or rather, I liked the way they presented themselves to be. I hope never to know who they really were. At the time, they became friends who lived in other states and countries, and it was a refreshing way to end my day. My boys would be in bed; on went the computer, and I was off to travel the super highway on a grand adventure.
Through the years since I was introduced to the Internet, I have met many amazing people online. I have met writers, artists, parents of children with addiction issues, people dealing with chronic illnesses, people who think outside the box and color outside the lines. I am in awe at their kindness, their willingness to think about and pray for a stranger. I have been blessed to have met many of my online friends in person and our coming together did not disappoint. It was joy filled and I carry those great memories in my heart and mind each day. On the other hand, there is a dark side to the Internet. People can be whoever they choose to be. They don’t have to be honest…at least by Internet standards, and they can often be very mean. Others never ever seem to have even one good and happy day. They thrive in their misery and sadly that misery has become who they are.
When I became part of this new Internet world I set and intention to be a positive seed planter, an encourager, and to remain present and available to people who may need someone to talk with. I am an open book on the Internet. My life has no secrets, and some of the chapters are quite sad but, they are nothing compared to the potential for me to touch at least one life and add some happiness or cause someone to look at things differently. It is always my prayer that each day, when I spend my allotted amount of time (yes I set a specific amount of time) on the Internet, that I will meet someone who just needs someone to listen, or to help someone smile. Everyday I receive many smile moments to add to my “smile bank” from people I may never meet, who know more about who I am than my own biological family.
Thank you Internet family for allowing me into your lives. 🙂
Sarah-Pink Welch ©2012
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