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The internet can be a wonderful connection to the outside world when one follows the few basic rules regarding personal ads and chat rooms. It is constantly pounded into our heads to keep personal details private until you get to know someone. (Addresses, telephone numbers, that kind of thing). Predators are out there and they are clever, so it is in your best interest to use common sense when seeking friends and/or partners. Straight or gay, people are people.

I was the worst kind of skeptic when it came to on line correspondence. I had been 'duped' a good number of times in my younger days by men pretending to be women or women pretending to be someone they were not. This was in the pre-internet days when it meant personal ads from newspapers or pen pal clubs. It only makes sense that the internet would make those possibilites that much more probable. Fortunately, with age comes wisdom and if you are a fairly good judge of character, you quickly learn to observe the correspondence you are sharing with someone. Reading between the lines, so to speak. I have made some very good friends via the internet, shared some pleasant dates with women and have been very blessed to have met my life partner in this way.

Though our correspondence did not start out in the typical way, it grew into something very strong and meaningful for both of us over time. Each of us enjoyed writing erotica so when our 'friendship' began, the details of our personal lives were not important. Being anonymous to one another, it allowed us to be open and honest about our thoughts, desires and fantasies with no fear of judgement from the other. Neither of us was seeking a partner at the time, so there was no pretense there. Somewhere in our writings, a real friendship began to develop and the anonymity fell away. We were finding something 'real' in our connection. Having shared a trust of sorts in these passing months, we exhanged telephone numbers, thus connecting a voice to a name. Inevitabley, our relationship changed. We eventually decided to meet.
That was ten years ago we have been partnered for eight of those years. This has been a wonderful experience for each of us, finding something very real and rewarding. If it is not the fairy tale romance, it is certainly very close.

Friendships on line can develop into something special and lead to a lifetime of happiness. But like any relationship, it should start with honesty. First with yourself, then with others. Without that, there is no point in even striving for something more. I am not suggesting a non-conventional way of meeting someone, as I did. This is just my story. It is, however, a positive spin on internet dating, amidst all the horror stories that are out there. If you use good judgement and take things slowly, there should be no problem in making some new friends or finding your life partner out there in the world. There are some legitamate web sites out there, allowing gay/lesbian people to connect. Do your research.

Learn more about this author, Debbie Gillotti.
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