Heart With No Companion

I think I have stated before that ma chère and I use just about every technology available to stay connected. We have "land lines", mobile phones, web-cams, instant messaging, text messaging, blogs, even the occasional letter and card (I know, how quaint). I use these tools to stay in touch with just about everyone now days. As the commercial suggests, I am living in "Saint Quenver Milhattan". Welcome to my network.

I am getting to the point, however, where phone, web-cams, IM and SMS isn't enough. Virtualization is great, do not get me wrong. It does provide quick and near real-time communication with my family and friends. However, it is "virtual", a similarity of reality. I am losing my patience in pretending it is enough to stay connected this way. Eventually, I long for a face to face conversation with a kindred spirit. To touch, to smell, to relish in the other senses beyond sight and hearing.

The Ps try to help, bless them. But, I really cannot feed my need for companionship from them. My job is to be familiar, not family. They are wonderful people. I could hang with them for a long time. However, as long as I am their employee I cannot cross that boundary. That boundary is there for both parties' protection.

Title by Leonard Cohen