Has Second Life Ever Made You Sad?

Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened. 

Dr. Seuss  

I’ve been blogging lately about feelings and emotions in Second Life (SL.)

(Significant Other is hoping that I’m not giving advice.  What happened to our friends in Real Life (RL) that time had nothing to do with me!)

You might say that I’ve been opening up the hood (or bonnet for my British readers) of our psyches inworld and checking underneath. 

(Significant Other sighs and wonders aloud why can’t I just cover fashions like every other SL blogger.)

But, I’m finding that I can’t do this without touching the emotional third rail of sadness

inworld. 

(Significant Other screams and runs from the room.)

And, that third rail is has SL ever made you sad?

But, what is being sad all about?

In RL, loss of a loved one due to death, the end of a relationship or friendship, or the sudden and traumatic loss of part of our lives due to fire or storm as examples can give rise to sadness. 

Or, being treated unfairly or bullied can make us sad in RL too.

Then, there’s just being lonely and feeling left out.

It happens to all of us sooner or later.

How we manage it and move on from it determines how we live our lives in RL.

But, what about SL?  Can we have these same feelings of sadness arising from inworld events?

I submit that we can.

We can lose SL friends to death in RL.

Good friends can disappear never to return leaving us wondering why and hoping that they’re well.

Relationships and friendships end as frequently as they do in RL.

We can lose everything inworld to crashes, griefing, or identity theft. 

And, of course, SL is no haven from loneliness.

Maybe the only occurrence that can cause sadness in RL that we can’t experience

inworld is illness.  But, I’ve met many inworld whose sadness stems from RL illness. 

SL is not a game.

It’s very real for many of those who reside here. 

SL is an extension of our RL selves.

I always go back to what someone told me when I first rezzed in all those years ago, “Remember that behind every avatar is a real person with real feelings.”

I’ve never forgotten that advice. 

Our bodies may be virtual but our feelings are very real!

We can hurt inworld and experience sadness.

Which is why the rest of us should always be ready to step in to cheer someone up, and maybe, just maybe fall in love sometime!

What about you?

Have you ever been sad because of SL?

If you’d like to share your story, and I’ll guarantee anonymity, then please send it along and I’ll write another story! 

Thanks in advance and I hope everyone is happy out there right now! 

As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives. 

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

            If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life  please click here.

            Open roads and kind fires!

Are You Lonely in Second Life?

All great and precious things are lonely.

John Steinbeck

           “Are you lonely in Second Life (SL)?”  

          This question arose in my mind as I wandered across the Grid inworld not too long ago.  (Significant Other has always been uncomfortable with me alone in my thoughts for extended periods of time.)  

          How could I be lonely? 

          I have many friends inworld, three loyal readers, and I meet new residents all the time in the course of my meanderings.  (We’ll ignore Significant Other’s observation that I have more friends in SL than in Real Life (RL).  It’s that a lot of my RL friends don’t like to talk about these things in public.  Really, that’s all!)  

          I think back to my original purpose in coming to SL.  

          I was here to explore and write.  (Also, ironically, to be able to spend more time with Significant Other in RL.  Long story there.) 

          I was not going to put down roots or get involved in inworld communities.  I remember receiving my first invitation to friendship and wondering if I should accept it.  

          So, what happened?

          I have many friends inworld and am involved with several communities.  (Significant Other asks if they’re just too polite to evict me.)  

          I have sister now!  (Even if she can be a pain in the neck as little sisters often are.)  

       

   I even go to friends’ weddings now!  

 

          Why did this happen?

          Was I just lonely and didn’t realize it?  Was my subconscious at work here or had I been kidding myself all this time?  (Significant Other says this wouldn’t be the first time.)

          Or, does SL work to include despite my own intentions and feelings?

          I’m always receiving IMs from friends either checking in on me or inviting me somewhere.  More sims appear to have thriving communities than before.  People reach out to me for no apparent reason.  

          Could it be something else?

          If it is then I’m clueless as to what it is.

          I’ve drawn a conclusion here.

          It’s very difficult to be lonely inworld. 

          There are just too many people reaching out and connecting with me for to ever be lonely. 

          But, I’ve also noticed something else here.

          Lonely people in RL come inworld for companionship.  (Don’t worry, I’m not going to out anyone.) 

          I’ve met people who have come inworld in search of human company because they’re either physically disable in RL, geographically remote from others, or just find it hard to reach out and connect with others in RL. 

          There are groups inworld like First UCC that provide either social or other support activities to these lonely individuals.  No one has to be alone in SL. 

          In my wanderings across SL, I keep coming back to SL being more than a game.  It’s a viable social network, albeit anonymous but strong! 

          What your thoughts on being lonely in SL?

          Please share them with my readers and me and I’ll try to have an update on this topic

sometime soon!  

As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives.  

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

          If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here. 

          Open roads and kind fires!