My Life on a Plate

A Little Miracle

It's a good job WDC doesn't adhere to Greenwich Meantime or I doubt I'd make the first of the month blue. Ten minutes to midnight here but I really want to record the little miracle going on in my house right now.

Five years ago I played a game of online Scrabble (actually called Yahoo Literati) one rainy Saturday afternoon and got chatting to my opponent. It turned out the lady I was playing lived in Melbourne, Australia, was of similar age and a writer to boot. The start of a beautiful friendship you might say. Since then we have chatted, e-mailed and played games on a regular basis and it's become clear we really are the best of friends despite never meeting. I know many people who scoff at online relationships but the support, laughter, depth and warmth of my few special online friends is enough to convince me REAL relationships can be built and maintained through cyber interaction. As one of my friends says 'On here there are no distractions, no physical forces, just like-minded hearts, minds and souls.'

Well, yesterday I went to Nottingham for the day with my friends and at the end of the day collected my Aussie friend's daughter from the bus station and brought her home to stay with us. She's been travelling Europe since last June and although I said she'd be welcome here any time I couldn't imagine it actually happening. But when I saw this lovely young lady standing there with her huge back pack and mounds of luggage...well I got all emotional and almost hugged her to death.

She's adorable; so easy going, laid back and sweet and I just can't believe I'm looking after my internet friend's baby. The weather is awful but I hope we can make her stay a happy one. We were all up bright and early this morning (she's not a morning person either) to chat to her mum on the computers and I cannot express how awesome it feels to think one little game of Scrabble has led to this.

I know there are some who meet up regularly with people they've come across online, but this is a first for me and an amazing feeling. Someone from the other side of the world staying in my home solely due to the internet. Oh I'm so glad I lived long enough to see what the net can bring about. Forget the negatives; this is worth its weight in gold.