How Fragile Life Is

   One moment, you are role playing with friends. And then, something so tragic happens that gives you pause and you take a step back to wrap your mind around it. Surely, the world at large views us virtual world folk with some skepticism. But, until you have dared the unknown, dared risk possibility, you cannot fathom the richness of virtual worlds.
   Jaekob's typist has always been insecure, shy and, honestly, a bit afraid of the real world. So he discovered gaming (Everquest) which obsessed him for some thirteen or fourteen years. And even there, he was that insecure, shy kinda guy and spent much of his time alone.  But then, a little over two years ago, a friend who knew he loved to role play suggested he try Second Life. Well, that was the end of Everquest, I tellya. Within a few days, it was stripped off his computer and he had a life, a family and began to really experience people.
   But, again, he kept them at bay as he began to experience something new in virtual worlds. He thought he was in love, but it was a rollercoaster ride or two I tellya and to make a long story short, he escaped to Inworldz.
   Overtime, he created a wonderful medi fantasy role play environment (or so he thinks). It wasn't an easy task because he had never done such a thing. But, he had a dream of a role play community which was healthy and, well, a family. About then, he was clueless, he had role played a year in Second Life and the experience was tremendous and he learned a lot from some of the best role players on the grid. But, things were coming together, things were happening and the River Lands was beginning to grow. That's when the Duchess of Chanwood happened along and a friendship was formed that has been tested a time or two, but, in his opinion, has only grown stronger. Today, the River Lands is one of a handful of sims that make up the Unfied Lands of the North Sea and it grows and it prospers and his dream has reached fruition and he is more than pleased.
   But, I veer from my original intent. I wanted to talk about people, the typists behind the players, be they medi fantasy role players, tinies, pirates or just average folk. I want to tell the world that we, those virtual world folk are healthy and happy and quite content in our *make believe* world.
   There is something about getting to know a person here, something that seems to strip away the insecurities and the shyness. In this environment, you first get to know the avatar and, if lucky, a friendship develops and bits and pieces of the typists life come to the table and a friendship is born that is beyond anything that can one can experience in the real world.
   No one cares if you are twenty or seventy. No one cares if you are overweight, your hair is receding and you are toothless. We get to know people in their purest forms, we get to know their hearts first and all other is irrelevant.
   And just so you know, he did find true love in this venue. She ran from him for about six months, but he was patient because, after all, anything good is worth being patient for. I won't mention names; she might spank him. Well, he might like THAT, but that is another story.
   Yesterday, one of our role players suffered a tremendous loss. And while she waited for family to arrive, avatars began to gather around her and sat and waited so the typist behind that avatar would feel supported and loved. And, no, it wasn't just avatars; there was a real sense of every typist sitting there with her just as we would have in any small community. THAT, my friends, is the truth of virtual worlds.
   So I have rambled a lot when all I really wanted to say is this, *Thank you Inworldz. Thank you to all the people who have strolled casually into my life and stayed and made a tremendous difference in my life and made me a better person.