Modern Friendship

As an expat I find myself writing a lot of emails. Many are to friends far away. But also I write emails (and cell phone text messages) to friends for whom English is not their first language because it’s much better than trying to talk on the phone.
The strange thing is that sometimes the email relationship gets ahead of the actual friendship. For example, I have an artist friend who has written me lovely letters and I don’t know her well (I want to). She feels an emotional connection to me after reading this blog! Emails and letters can become more intimate than regular conversation. I think this is not new (think Jane Austin).
This morning I received an upsetting email that my grandmother is ill and in hospital. So now I’m waiting for word that I should come home to SoCal to be with my family. Even though this world is small, it still takes two to three days to get from where I am now to where I should be to receive comfort I crave and give some in return. And I love people here, too, and they were with me today.