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 Lost in Second Life?

Not all those who wander are lost. 

J. R. R. Tolkien

Sometimes, I have time on my hands. 

(Significant Other thinks this can be dangerous, very dangerous.)

Sometimes, I use this time to think Big Thoughts about Second Life (SL).

(Significant Other says at least this keeps me off the streets in Real Life (RL).)

Lately, one of these has been bothering me.

The Big Thought that’s been bothering me is whether or not you can be lost in SL?

Being lost, whether in SL or RL, can have different meanings for different people.

Maybe you can’t figure out where you are or how you got there.

Maybe you can’t figure out how to do anything at all.

Or, perhaps, you can’t even figure out why you’re even there at all!

Let’s talk a little more about being lost inworld.

What might the symptoms be? 

There’s feeling overwhelmed, not being sure what to do next, or just a feeling of total helplessness. 

(Significant Other says being lost in a car with me in RL can induce all of these feelings simultaneously.)

How can this happen in a virtual world like SL?

Is SL just a rabbit hole that one falls through?

Is being lost just a consequence of switching realities from RL to SL?

Or, perhaps, my favorite here, just inadequate user documentation to help guide the hordes of newcomers to SL, many of whom leave shortly in frustration. 

Can anything be done about these feelings of being lost in SL?

Maybe a few things…

Like just sticking it out or…

Soliciting help from others who have managed to make the cut…

Or, simply quitting.  (I personally don’t like this option.)

Sometimes, I wonder if being lost inworld is simply part of the maturity process for those brave to enter SL. 

Maybe it’s just Darwinian selection.  (Although, that might be more appropriate for World of Warcraft.) 

Or, just possibly, like anything that’s worthwhile doing, it’s just a matter of staying the

course and coming out on the other side!

What are your thoughts about being lost in SL?

I’d be happy to hear and I if I get enough I’ll write a follow-piece!

Look forward to hearing from you! 

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!