So, there I was, chatting to my friend in the States on Facebook. Unremarkable in itself I suppose?
I first met my friend in a virtual farmer's market, looking for work. I cannot remember now whether I hired her first or she hired me, but whatever happened, we said Hi, like you do, and swapped polite pleasantries.
We each rehired the other on an almost daily basis, and from there became "friends" on Facebook.
I know more about this new friend whom I have never met than some of my "real" friends. We keep in touch, and I like that we've met through these odd circumstances.
I have another friend in the States that I met exactly the same way.
Once upon a time we would have met on a cruise, or a holiday somewhere. Rarely do these holiday friendships last though. You are forced together by your circumstances, often you share a dining table, or a spot at the beach. But this Facebook game was somehow very different. To this day, Debbie and I have never met, and never physically spoken to each other. Nor have Aprille and I - and yet our friendships have endured despite this limitation!
Friendship is an amazing thing. I have worked with people for years, but would not count them as my friends. I have known some of my "friends" for years, but know next to nothing about them, and always forget their birthdays. There are some people I would go out of my way to help and support, but they are not my friends. There are people that I thought were my friends, but obviously they are not. (See blog entry Friendship? That Ship Has Sailed)
So, how can total strangers meet in a virtual farm on a social network site, and in less that 10 minutes, decide they want to meet up again? How can they then form a friendship that lasts years with only occasional, sporadic contact? What is it about the way our minds work that allow us to make such amazing judgements in such a short time? When I ask Debbie why she re-hired me that day, she said "Because you were a gentleman". Something about our first meeting impressed her enough to chance another.
So, be careful what first impression you make - whether it is at a party, in a crisis, or at an interview. That first impression will count. And a lot of people out there think "oh well, if I fluff my first impression, I can always redeem my reputation next time!" Sadly, if you fluff your first impression, you'll be lucky if there is a next time!
So I'm grateful that my first impression with Debbie and Aprille meant there was a second!
Our lives are bound together by these amazing, complicated connections - these unlikely meetings of souls!
