I have tons of friends. 420 on Facebook to be exact. I follow another 400 on Twitter and about 320 follow me. Of course if you eliminate the spammers, there is maybe 150…
I have several close friends in other places that I text regularly and they text me. I occasionally talk on the phone, though I’m not sure my iPhone knows what to do with itself when it actually has to make and receive a phone call.
I have friends.
The problem is, most aren’t in the same place as me.
We live highly connected lives that are increasingly less involved intimately in each other’s lives. We lack face to face community.
I’ve realized what I need are those people that I can meet at Starbucks with fifteen minutes notice for coffee and convo. The relationships that drop everything for what is going on in each other’s lives. The kind that offer wisdom, straight talk and lots of grace. I have reached the threshold where virtual relationships are no longer enough.
What about you? Do you have those people in your life?
jasongordon.org 
2 responses to “When virtual community is no longer enough…”
Fortunately I do friends who I grab coffee with weekly, and in the parameters of campus ministry we work hard at the personal connection with in the group community. There is a lot of communication via twitter and FB but also a lot of one on one time at the coffee shops. Enough that it is a budget line item… monthly coffee expense with students. I couldn’t agree with you more on this post.
I was actually thinking the same thing recently, and have been off-and-on for the past few months. I’ve got friends all over the country, and a lot of friends all over the state of Illinois, but a somewhat limited quantity in my own community. Weird how that happens, and ever more so, realizing that it’s time to do something to change it.