The internet has a lot to answer for

I wrote this a while back but never posted it anywhere, because it's kind of personal, and I felt a little self-conscious. But it seems like someone besides me should read it, so I'm putting it here, where I'll probably still be the only person to read it, but you never know. Names have been changed, blah, blah, blah....

I couldn't sleep last night and just got to thinking...the internet has a lot to answer for. If it wasn't for the 'net, I wouldn't have gotten reacquainted with a group of high school friends a few years ago (18 years after graduation). As a result, I wouldn't have spent 9/11 glued to the TV knowing that Kevin was in the Pentagon that day, or the next day crying with relief because he'd emailed me to say he was okay. I wouldn't have known Paul was working in Seattle during that earthquake. I wouldn't be worrying about Hank right now in Baghdad. And when Charlie was killed last summer, it would have been sad, but I wouldn't have cried for three months.

Of course, I also wouldn't have been able to laugh about the exploits of Paul's teenage daughter. I wouldn't have known what an amazing person Charlie had become and spent time laughing with him before it was too late. I wouldn't have been able to read Kevin's short, terse, but touching messages to Hank as we try to get him through a nightmare. I wouldn't have gotten to make 12 soldiers on guard duty happy with a box of stale cookies. Their email in response wouldn't have made me cry. I wouldn't have been able to tell Susan that I'd gladly come and help her kick the snot out of the school board if they don't get on the ball and help her handicapped daughter. Yes, if it weren't for the internet, I would have a lot less to worry about. Thank heaven for the internet!