Inspired by Syrana’s (as usual) excellent post (located here), some things jumped out at me that I had not thought of in a while. Back when I played Star Wars: Galaxies I made a number of friends online, and over the years there have only been a couple I have managed to maintain contact with. Although not for a lack of thinking of those I haven’t spoken with since leaving the game, some I simply have no idea how to reach again. Further, many friendships I have formed over the course of playing World of Warcraft I hope to not lose contact with, whether it be my decision to pursue another game in the future or theirs.

Those who I play with currently would know more about my current state than any of those I have played with previously, and they would be much more likely to show up at my door in the event I went unheard from for any length of time. Those who I have kept up with, albeit horribly infrequently, might never know one way or another. And there are still others whom I miss that I couldn’t even tell you if they were still around or if something had befallen them.

With the proliferation of other services, specifically things like Twitter, the blogging community in general and certainly those who do visit this blog, and text messaging for those who have my direct contact information, it is certainly easier to keep track of those we grow fond of in one way or another. Yet, there is still, quite often, a barrier between those who have never met in person (and far too often even those we meet in passing in “real life” as well).

These are just some thoughts to ponder after reading Syrana’s post:

• Are there people you have met online, regardless of venue, that you care enough about to wonder what happens in their lives?
• Have you made and lost friends over the years that you wish you still had a chance to speak to, or that you recollect fondly and have no idea where they are now or what they may be up to?
• Why do we persist in keeping others at bay when they are not a part of our daily lives in some fashion?

Thinking back, these are a few of the people (some in-game names and some forum handles) that I’ve lost track of and think of on occasion (and forgive me if I have forgotten the exact spelling):

• Arcaeus / Agraulus
• Tuck / Oomph
• Andronicus
• Batpat, whom I even met in person and had the opportunity to go SCUBA diving with.
• All of the wonderful people on the Smuggler and Teras Kasi forums (SWG). The sense of community there is only matched in WoW thus far.
• My fellow correspondents during the “pre-combat revamp” phase. (SWG)
• Those who were a part of la Cosa Nostra during my time as Guild Leader, as well as those who played on Stormrage under the original Aeternus Veritas guild banner.

And to all of those whom I know now, whether I know you well or if we are only really developing any semblance of friendship as I write this, I hope our paths remain in contact. Sometimes it is the relationships we form virtually that shape aspects of ourselves in ways we never expected, and those threads of friendship and camaraderie tend to stay with us long after contact is lost. To you all I raise my glass, and hopefully this time we all manage to stay in touch!