I "met" Laurie online when I first started building my website.I didn't have
my own computer at the time and would go to a local store that offered
free internet access, where I would stay for hours typing and searching for
graphics.The computer I was using was configured so that I couldn't
download graphics that contained more than one image on a page.I had
found a beautiful graphic set that I wanted to use on one of my pages but was
unable to download it.
Laurie was the community leader for the geocities area that I was building
my site in, my neighbor so to speak and the person to whom you could go
for answers and help dealing with the creation of your website.So I sent
an e-mail to her explaining my situation and she offered to get whatever
graphics I wanted and upload them into my geocities file manager.She
uploaded many graphics for me until I was able to work on a computer at
a local school where I was then able to get what I wanted myself.During
this time we started writing e-mails back and forth and found we had alot
in common and liked many of the same things, in fact we had so much in
common that we joked that we had been seperated at birth! Laurie started
to call me her "little sister" and indeed she became the sister I never
had.Like the words on the above image I believe that some people are in
fact meant to meet each other.
The reason I decided to start a website was because I had started
collecting Beanie Babies (one of the things we have in common) and
thought it would be fun to make a website about them.When I first went
to sign up for an address the one I wanted originally was taken before I
finished applying for it so I had to look for another.This address was
originally called Enchanted Forest and I decided I liked the sound of the
subdivision Glade so I applied and got this location.So many things
factored into eventually "meeting" Laurie.The fact that I had started
collecting Beanies, deciding to build a website, not getting my original
location but the one in Laurie's neighborhood instead and finally the fact
that the computer I was using was programmed the way it was which
caused me to write to her in the first place.Just luck? Seems like too many
coincidences to me.It's the kindred spirits reaching out to fulfill their
destiny of contacting each other.
I was able to meet Laurie in person in the Fall of 1999 (a little over a year
after we first wrote to each other).My boyfriend (well boyfriend doesn't
accurately describe him, more like my soulmate, my hearts true destiny
but that's another story!! *smile*) a friend and myself went to Maine for
the weekend to meet and stay with her and her husband Roger.We had a
wonderful time and meeting her was like going home to family! She was
in person the same as in her e-mails, sweet, warm, funny, kind.It felt like
we had known each other forever.So as I write this almost 4 years since
that first e-mail I can only say thank goodness for computers! They were
the starting point of a wonderful friendship that I treasure to this day! This
is for you Sis, thank you for the gift of your friendship and for simply
being the wonderful person that you are.
Love You Lots! (((((((((Hugs)))))))) and Kisses!!
Gloria and Laurie taken Sept. 26, 1999
The music playing is entitled "Little Angels".
Used with permission from Tom and Judith Williams.
(Thank you so very much.) PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE.
