Cobbled together from a couple of messages to a friend. I felt I should share it with everybody, 'cause it holds true for all of us:
You know, we don't know each other, don't have shared history or a relationship or anything. We didn't grow up or grow old together, and in most cases, we'll never meet face to face.
But, and this might sound silly, but there ya go, in many ways I feel much closer to people I've only ever known online, than I do to best friends and family. When you think about it, we DO have shared history. Our stories are the same. Oh, they differ in the details of age and people involved and stuff, but the stuff that really matters - the alienation, the sadness, the loneliness, the anger, all the rest of it - that's something we uniquely share, something that nobody else can really even relate to.
Even when friends and family do support us, it's never really enough. And I know that must sound selfish, and ungratefull, but let me explain with something my best friend said to me the other night. I'll just paraphrase so I don't mangle ze Eengleesh too badly here:
"Ill stand by you through this, but you know, it's something so far outside what I can comprehend that that might not be worth much. I'm always going to see you as (my given name... which I don't really like using) and I honestly don't know that I'd be able to accept Simone."
One of the things I appreciate about him is that he is always brutally honest, and his take on relationships leaves no room for sugar-coating. But what he said is probably true for everybody else I've told. Some of them will think I'm crazy, some that I'm a case to be pitied or something along those lines - they don't mean to be patronizing or anything, but they just can't relate.
So thanks all for taking the time to share your stories, advice, or just by lending an ear, metaphorically speaking
Love,
Simone
