Before now, I used to be surprised at how online friendships worked. I often wondered how people could trust and build true connections with others they had never met in person. I used to imagine whether such a thing could ever work at all. But as time went on, I found myself admiring those who had such friendships, how proud and excited they'd be about them. And deep down, I also wanted the same experience. I wanted friends online with whom we could chat and laugh about many things.
For me, friendship had always been something physical; we sit down together, talk, share and laugh. It was the joy of seeing ourselves physically that made such friendship real to me and that was how I understood connection.
But as technology evolved, social media and messaging apps changed everything. Communication was now made easier and bonds were built with people from different parts of the world. There was no need to travel miles to see each other every day to stay close; we could simply chat, call, send audios or even do video calls to see each other. This became a beautiful thing and it was something we appreciated about technology.
Of course, it doesn't replace physical meetings entirely. We still need to plan a time to meet physically, whether through birthday parties, hangouts, or a get-together. But I would say that online communication has made relationships much easier to maintain and sustain.
Over the years, I have made a few online friends through different platforms, and some of them are still very close to me today, which I have appreciated. I can say we've formed a deep bond. We laugh together, share personal experiences, and most especially, encourage each other spiritually.
It gives me joy when we strengthen ourselves with the word of God. And despite not seeing some of them, I feel their presence and support in my life.
Interestingly, I am the kind of person who always chats more online than I do in person. When we are chatting online, I can talk endlessly, bring up topics to discuss, and ask several questions as I feel more comfortable that way, but when I finally meet someone face to face, I tend to struggle with words. I suddenly find myself quiet, waiting for the other person to start the conversation. But trust me, when this happens, my energy is on.
Well, I would say shyness is one reason this happens, even though I can't say if I am still shy because I have been helping myself in that aspect. But somehow, I express myself better through written words or online conversations. Maybe that's part of what makes me opine that online friendships work so well for me, as they provide me the space to think and communicate freely.
Another thing about me is that I don't easily open up to people. I take my time studying others, both online and offline. One reason is that, sometimes, even an offline friend, if care isn't taken, might become a virtual one due to being far distant or because they have just decided to stay back from communicating offline, and before you know it, they are drifting away until you can’t see them anymore.
This is why I take my time to observe before committing myself to them. I don't share my personal things with everyone I meet, both online and offline, but there are certain ones, whether online or offline, that I have developed a sense of trust and comfort with that feels very real. These are people we support ourselves emotionally and spiritually, and that has made all the difference for me.
Now, to answer the question: can online friendships replace the need for face-to-face friendships? Personally, I don’t think they can be replaced completely. The truth is that online friendships can be deeply meaningful and supportive, but again, we cannot ignore the benefits of offline friendships, too, because there is something special about meeting people or friends physically.
You get to spend time together, share meals, laugh freely and do activities that bring fun together. I believe physical moments like that help to deepen the emotional connection in a way that online friendships cannot to an extent.
I believe the key is balance. It is the effort we put into it, the communication level and respect that matter for both online and offline friendships. Both of them form a beautiful part of our lives.
Images Credit to Meta AI
