Friendship

Writing is a solitary existence by necessity. We writers/editors spend hours alone in front of our computers, struggling to create. Usually at home. Were we to spend all day in front of a computer in some other venue, such as an office, we'd be congratulated. Because we do so at home, we are not considered to be "working" and are oftentimes villified for our "antisocial" lifestyle. Along the way, we depend on the support of our loved ones--should we be fortunate enough to have any--and our friends. Both "RL" or "real life," as we say, and writing friends--many of whom we know only via the internet. Some scoff at such friendships, but let me tell you the daily exchange of ideas, feelings, and experiences via email, Skype, and YIM can forge very strong bonds indeed. When I spend time with my RL friends, we watch a movie, we shop, we chat over lunch about little of any import. They often don't know, or don't care about my writing. They don't know me. Certainly not to the extent my writer friends do.

Yesterday, I had quite a scare. I feared I'd lost one of my closest writing friends. I'm still not sure all is well, but at least she's alive. Facing the hole the loss of such a friend would leave in my life, and the lives of the many who love and care about this wonderful person proved to me that perhaps such friendships are as real as any other. Sometimes moreso. Face to face RL friendships can be wonderful, but looking into another persons eyes, seeing their facial expressions, etc. does not make the relationship more "real." I can tell you from painful personal experience that those things can, and are faked for a variety of reasons.

So, go out and give virtual hugs to all your writer friends today. Give thanks for their fellowship, their support, their willingness to listen, and most of all, their understanding of this very weird goal you feel compelled to pursue.

Antonia
xoxoxo