Friends online

[1/4 stick]

I still find it amazing how people we meet online and never meet in person can become so much a part of our lives. I lost such a friend the Thursday before last. We met on a social site that I frequent and complain about a lot. But I still hang out there because I got lucky and found a group of friends that I enjoy laughing with and acting the fool with. This gentleman that passed away and I shared similar backgrounds growing up and experiences in life. I often joked the reason he was on the west coast and me on the east was because each coast could only handle one of us at a time. We even shared the same liver disease that we both brought on ourselves for very similar reasons. Needless to say we talked about that a lot and it made life a bit easier to have someone that understood what the other was going through.

I was lucky and I have recovered enough, from something that could have easily killed me nearly 8 years ago, that I’ll live a fairly long life as long as I watch what I put in my body and never drink again. Someone has been watching out for me up there because the specialist told me that many that go into the hospital in the shape I did; don’t make it through the night. My friend wasn’t so lucky, he too survived that night, but his condition worsened with complications over the past couple years. And he passed away peacefully, but way too early. I woke up at 2 am this morning and found myself on that site to see if he was up to bs with a little bit then remembering as it loaded that he wouldn’t be there. And I thought of how long it took me to get used to not seeing Zooker posting on here.

Anyway, all that back story is leading to a point. I find myself regretting once again that I never really told either of them how much better they made my life. Even though we never really met anywhere other than online and chatting over the phone. Each made my life better and each made a difference in my life and my outlook on life. I just always held on to hope and faith and I didn’t want to make them think I had lost hope by telling them when they were sick. Again to my point… I want all you guys and the couple of ladies I’ve met on here to know that I keep coming back here because you guys are here. Each and every one of you. Yes this forum hosts a wealth of information and insights into fishing and many other things. But so do a lot of forums out there. It’s you guys that bring me here. Nowhere else can there be found as good a group of people that are here to help, share, and laugh as I’ve found here. And I thank you all for being what you are. Just a great group of people that I concider my friends, and I’m blessed to have known all of you even if it is online and rarely in person. You are all a very special group of people to me.

Sorry about the length and the sappiness. Just wanted you guys to know that.