Cyber connection
It is strange but people I met and maybe will only know on a cyber basis have become a real part of my life.
When I first started going on the internet (those days we had use dial up service with all the funny start-up noises), I met many people mostly from abroad because at that time not many people from where I am could understand or even afford the expensive service.
I was introduced to the existence of chat rooms by a cousin who is a top cardiologist of the country.
It seemed strange to me that the foreigners were made up of people from all walks of life as the internet service in their country had by then reached a reasonable rate. I met truck drivers, engineers, doctors, teachers, even one lady who was by then an illegal from Canada who entered the USA after leaving her husband and kids to follow her heart (in the form of some odd job guy from the latter country!)
At that point in time I was also watching my dad slowly releasing his hold on life. My dad was always my hero and deep inside I knew we were losing him to the Almighty. I was mostly in denial. He was in and out of the hospital.
I used my connection to the cyber world to express/ release / overcome my pain.
In my real world I am expected to keep my emotions in check and I did that.
Chat rooms are not entirely safe as even then u had predators.
I knew I was safe mainly because I was one of the few from this part of the world, half a world away from almost everyone at that time.
I made several friends and a few true and sincere ones whose friendship has lasted over a decade now.
For many years now we all have stopped going to the chatrooms now (do they still exist?)
I mainly facebook and blog. Of course I surf the net for work and pleasure but that is not interactive.
The internet is now cheap in my country. Everyone uses it. Not exclusive anymore.
I read in the newspapers that it has become a dangerous place.
I am still lucky that even the friends I made recently turn out to be good people.
But then maybe it is because I am normally a careful person.
The values that my parents instilled in me even prior to the existence of the internet remain useful and applicable even in a world they do not understand.
Values preceed technology.
When I first started going on the internet (those days we had use dial up service with all the funny start-up noises), I met many people mostly from abroad because at that time not many people from where I am could understand or even afford the expensive service.
I was introduced to the existence of chat rooms by a cousin who is a top cardiologist of the country.
It seemed strange to me that the foreigners were made up of people from all walks of life as the internet service in their country had by then reached a reasonable rate. I met truck drivers, engineers, doctors, teachers, even one lady who was by then an illegal from Canada who entered the USA after leaving her husband and kids to follow her heart (in the form of some odd job guy from the latter country!)
At that point in time I was also watching my dad slowly releasing his hold on life. My dad was always my hero and deep inside I knew we were losing him to the Almighty. I was mostly in denial. He was in and out of the hospital.
I used my connection to the cyber world to express/ release / overcome my pain.
In my real world I am expected to keep my emotions in check and I did that.
Chat rooms are not entirely safe as even then u had predators.
I knew I was safe mainly because I was one of the few from this part of the world, half a world away from almost everyone at that time.
I made several friends and a few true and sincere ones whose friendship has lasted over a decade now.
For many years now we all have stopped going to the chatrooms now (do they still exist?)
I mainly facebook and blog. Of course I surf the net for work and pleasure but that is not interactive.
The internet is now cheap in my country. Everyone uses it. Not exclusive anymore.
I read in the newspapers that it has become a dangerous place.
I am still lucky that even the friends I made recently turn out to be good people.
But then maybe it is because I am normally a careful person.
The values that my parents instilled in me even prior to the existence of the internet remain useful and applicable even in a world they do not understand.
Values preceed technology.
posted by akumangkok at
8:10 PM
5 Comments:
dear june...i read your post a few days ago and i never got a chance to comment..we have been busy with mom golden..she turned 81 on friday and a lot of the family was down...i must make a post for her!
anyways in reply to your post, i must tell you that you indeed have become a psrt of my life!
yeh.. i remember those dial up days..just before we were playing that game, i remember i used to get so mad a my sister, betty..i would phone her and her phone was ALWAYS busy!
june, i never really cared to be on the chat line...every so often i would.
i really feel your hurt when you talk about your hero father and how you miss him...if he is with the almighty, he is in safe hands but it sure does feel empty for you cause you miss him so much.
i hope that you are feeling better....you take care of yourself because you are important to me...a "foreigners" in southern ontario, canada....love terry
Dear Terry,
I was getting almost worried cos I did not see ur comments for a bit. I checked ur blog and even that was not updated as often as it used to be.
I told myself to be patient cos I knew u would be busy with either mom or dad Golden or perhaps accompanying Bernie for his procedures at the hospital.
I am glad it is because u were busy because of mom Golden's birthday and the family visiting.
Last week unknown to me, a friend and former lecturer of mine had passed on. We all only found out about it on the weekend.
He was a good man and was a good guide for me and my friends when we were in college.
We also learned that his wife has Parkinson's. They have two children. God bless his soul.
Yes, I miss my dad and I think that will never go away. I have gone through the various stages u need to go through before acceptance. Accepted but never forgotten.
I hope u and urs have the greatest birthday get-together for ur mom Golden. Make it the best one ever!!!
Have fun.
June
dear june..your comment was just what i needed..you know..sometimes i get myself into a rut and i have a hard time getting out of it and here you come along and get me out and i think i really will work on doing a post.
i feel so very sorry that you have lost a friend and mentor and to know that his dear wife has parkinsons...it is a sad world sometimes...oh how blessed we are to have god in our lives because how could we really bear life without his understanding and love to us.
junie, mom golden had a very good time for her birthday...she had many of the family visiting and tonight she and dad golden were so tired out that they went to bed at six pm!
god bless you my friend.
don't tell nobody but you are my
2ND bestest....shh....don't tell a soul!...love terry
thanks to you junie...i took the time to make a post on mom and dad golden for ruby tuesday...i was going to thank you for your encouragement right on my blog but i thought that i would thank you here!....love terry
U r very welcomed Terry. I shall go read ur blog as soon as it is possible.
Currently work is taking my time and I shall even be working this Sunday.
Its OK cos I am also having fun doing it :-)
June
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