The Kindness of Aquaintances
Today a girl I vaguely know on the other side of the world bought me a “paid” LiveJournal account for a couple of months, and I'm kind of speechless. Of course I could afford a paid membership if I really wanted one, but the email announcing the membership came as a huge surprise. I was incredibly touched.
It's easy these day to be very cynical about people that spend time on the internet. You become jaded, and start to think the worst of everybody – but then when you least expect it, something like this happens.
I know what she's up to though. LiveJournal is actually pretty good if you pay for it – probably the best social blogging platform in existence (and almost certainly the oldest). If I start using it more – which I am very likely to do now – I will forge friendships with people, and then I won't be able to leave. I will be drawn into their stories – their lives – their confidences – and won't want to leave.
Of course now a cog in a quiet corner of my brain is starting to spin – there is a dymo label stuck under it titled “Pay It Forward”...