What I love about the internet

This morning, I found myself reading a friend's account of his SIL's funeral and I found myself with tears in my eyes for someone I had never met, from halfway around the world. Such is the power of the connections we can make over the internet. In spite of the many bad things people love to point to regarding the internet, I still love its ability to link people in new and creative ways. We get to "meet" people from other cultures and walks-of-life, expanding our horizons and sharing our basic humanity. Surely this must be a good thing? For all the dissension and arguments that fly across the network, we still can find ways to share what we have in common. This has been a sad weekend for a friend and his family, and this sadness has been shared by a network of friends from around the world, many of whom have never met in person. I'm proud to be part of such a community, where we can share our lives with others in far remote places, get a glimpse into different lifestyles, and learn that we share more in common than our differences might otherwise suggest. I hope my friend and his family are finding some measure in comfort from the messages they have been receiving from around the world.