One of the things that has occurred with the rapid influx of the internet into our daily lives is that we have made online friends. We have never met them but in many ways they are quite close. So what happens when one of these online friends gets sick and then dies? There is a separation of reality and empathy for there can not really be closure. Most of us are not going to travel great distances and intrude on families we've never met and yet, there is a grieving process that is hard to explain or share. The people in your 'real' life don't quite get your very real feelings of loss so we end up turning to our other online friends, who we also haven't ever met. It's a funny world out there in internet land.
For those of us on Etsy, the loss of our dear friend and compatriot, cheerleader and supporter, Kathy Kroll of Four Dog Day has been both shocking and saddening. We got word of her passing on Saturday. Most of us knew she was sick and over the last few weeks it had become obvious that she was not getting better, but still.....it seems almost surreal, especially since we never actually met her. We have been missing her cheerful comments and funny stories for months now but the finality and silence are settling in to stay....
I wrote more about this a week or so ago on my Open Salon blog and you can read it if you'd like.
2 comments:
Oh so sorry - yes it's a whole new world out there - I didn't know Kathy but can totally empathize with your feelings XOXO, Patty
I'm so sorry for your loss, Mary. :(
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