135: relationships

On an impulse the other week I deleted my profiles on Christian Mingle and eHarmony. I haven't regretted it. But lately I've found myself wanting to type in the link...and I have...only to find I have no username to type in anymore, no profile to log into.

It amazes me how my world has expanded because of guys I've met online, even if we never went on a date.

Through one guy I was introduced to a dear friend and a huge group of people who I now know better than I do him. Another guy went on to join long-time friends of my family's in ministry--people he didn't even know when we were corresponding. He is now in love with a girl he met through that ministry. Another fellow who I actually did go on a date with is pursuing a girl from out of state and they seem smitten. Seeing photos of them on Facebook makes me happy because he deserved a good match.

I think back to Stephan, a guy I became friends with though we never met. We knew we were just friends from the beginning, not more, despite meeting on Christian Mingle. We enjoyed talking til our subscriptions expired. No romance spoils my memories of our several month cyber friendship. It was good to just have a friend.

Another fellow let me correspond for 3 months before saying we didn't have enough in common (even though we hadn't even met), but because of him I started watching Doctor Who. Is that a good or a bad thing? XD

When I think of Tony--a fellow several years older than me from the to-me romantic state of Wyoming, I feel warm inside. I know, I know, that sounds weird. Even though I had to tell him no way (he was pretty extreme in his beliefs and shunned accountability), he didn't get nasty like some people might when someone strongly disagrees with them. Instead he told me what a wonderful, intelligent woman I was even though it wasn't going to work. How can I not have fond recollections of that brief acquaintance?

It is never a bad thing to love more, whether it be a dog or a friend or something longer lasting. It is never a bad thing to let people into your life, however briefly. It is never a bad thing to get to know your neighbors, near or far.

Online dating did that for me. I'm probably not going back, but I leave it a fuller person.

one of those hilarious things you see on FB