The Mask

Have you ever wonder what someone is really like behind their chat identity?  How much of what they type represents who they actually are?

I know getting to know someone online can feel very real but you have to remember that it is not.  I guess you can never be certain of who a person genuinely is online unless you know them in real life.

I have to wonder about who you truly are masked behind your screen name.  Do you give me 100% of your true self or something slightly less?  I think about who you are when you are away from your keyboard. Will your mirror's reflection be true?  I think it is too easy to forget who you are when no one is looking.  It is too tempting to slip away from the reality of who you really are...and I don't think changing who you are online is always a terrible thing...

I know I am different when I sit behind a screen.  I find it easier to say what I am thinking without interference of onlookers.  I am also less reserved.  I always try to be kind and respect others' differences.  I stand up more for myself and I don't back down.  I gain confidence from chatting and that spills over into my real world.

But my online world, is not a substitution for what surrounds me...because given a choice I would pick walking down a sunlit path with a friend over keyboard conversation every time~so be careful not to mistake this alternate world for reality~ just know the difference between the two...