This morning I had breakfast with a friend.
We first met through social media circles and keep up to date on each other’s lives in that way. I see updates on Twitter and Flickr, and we read each other’s blogs. All this great technology allows us to keep updated with everyone. All I have to do in the morning is open up my Socialthing Lifestream, and I can feel connected with people around the globe.
But it has been on my mind a lot lately how we are becoming more connected virtually, but we mustn’t forget the physical connection that we need to maintain. Sitting down today over cups of coffee and plates of yummy breakfast goodness, we got to talk, connect and share in a way that no social network is ever going to allow.
Communities start as small as one-on-one and can grow to thousands of people. I have lots of small cluster communities that are based on friendships, professional connections or even because our kids go to the same school. So many of these don’t overlap each other. So many could and should intersect, and yet there is not much out there to help pull these connections together.
Don’t forget the real world. Don’t forget what it really means to hang out with friends.
Why don’t you schedule getting together for breakfast or drinks with someone right now? It’s OK if you send him or her a direct message on Twitter to do it. *grin*
