Our Real Fake Life
Virtual life isn't real.
One panelist asserted this idea pretty strongly, during the "Can Digital and Physical Co-Exist?" session at IAM's Encounter conference.
Why of course it isn't real. It's virtual.
Maybe.
A few months back, Ann Voskamp wrote a moving post about her agoraphobia. I gifted her a poem in response.
Then Ann went on a trip and, in the real, hard moments of canceled flights and a left-behind passport, she remembered the poem that had been posted in this virtual place.
Today she posted about her experience, and my breath caught when I saw these words...
And I answer her hauntingly beautiful poem with my life.
It makes me wonder what we mean by "real." For me, this is oh so very real. Thank you Ann, for your life, and the real way you touch me and countless others.
Light Gallery photo, by L.L. Barkat.
Labels: Ann Voskamp, InsideOut poems, social media and community
posted by L.L. Barkat at 3:10 PM
11 Comments:
I just read her post and your poem ... the method may be virtual but the people are for real as are their words
I had the same thoughts as S.Etole, virtual method but real people sharing their real lives touching so many across the miles. Much encouragement!
The first thing I thought of as I read this post is the lesson we learned from the Velveteen Rabbit-- love makes you real. Love-- care, compassion, the moments when, on either side of screens, we take off our masks to each other are real.
Of course it is real! How can it be anything other--when shared healing comes in neat or even tattered packages; when words lead people to their knees and hearts to His forever strong grip; when folks cling to one another like a wrap of love for support, encouragement, love, friendship; when poetry reflects the image of self and even still, the image of another; when many a life's passions intermingle and entangle beating hearts. It is real.
As I have struggled with feeling like the shutters shall close and the house may very well collapse, I, too have thought of you and of Ann. I reckon my courage to drive across the bridge as the house yawns and barely blinks (goodbye-for-now), come from the same places. Both of you have virtually reached through the screen today and touched many broken parts of me.
Blessings.
Oh yes, it is very real. I have been loved, encouraged, prayed for and inspired. I have never hugged their necks, but they have enriched my life.
I have invested my heart in the lives of those I've never met face-to-face, and the blessings are priceless.
Yes - it is real.
Real. Ha. I've been around real people being real in the real world. Being in real is overrated :)
Seriously, those within the virtual world have been very accepting, of my written voice. Praying prayers. Offering questions and thoughts. Being supportive. As someone that has walked away from the "real" world to get real with God...this little virtual space has offered much food for thought, wisdom and grace. A great deal of compassion and love.
The only thing I miss is actually being able to literally hug all my virtual friends.
Now off to go be unreal, or whatever you call it.
i think there is a lot of real and not so real in every form of relating.
another question is truth.
the more truth, the more real.
the example of the exchange between you and ann, making it into other parts of life, beyond interacting on a competer, was grand.
i wonder if the panelist believes that some words are living.
Nancy-
Hmm, I was thinking the same thing.
Ah, yes, I read her post. The line that connects the two of you is very real...like breath.
But so much of our society is built on the fake -- facebook, texting, even blogging.
Do we really know peopel?
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