My husband dismisses anyone I meet on the internet as “Twitter People.” And while I haven’t been on too long, having only opened an account a year and a half ago, I find the community I’ve cultivated positive, uplifting and mostly inspirational. When the world feels heavy, I think the camaraderie on my feed feels loving, reminding me that so many of us are feeling the same oppressive weight. So many of us are fighting for things together, even if it doesn’t feel that way in our in-person orbits.
There are tweets that make me laugh. There are tweets that make me think.
But more than anything, I appreciate when “Twitter People” come to life – and when the person I imagined on the other end is actually as thoughtful and brilliant as portrayed across the social media waves.
This morning, exactly that happened. I met Jess Lifshitz, a fellow Chicagoland educator for the first time in 3D. One cup of coffee morphed into two cups, along with honest conversation about everything under the sun, from mothering to writing to relationships, every bit of it refreshing. She brainstormed ideas for my book and gave me important perspective I had momentary lost sight of; she made me laugh; she gave me confidence. It was as if we had known each other for a long while – in real life – not just on the interweb.
Sometimes, Twitter People can come alive.
Real finds real.
You captured the power of our professional learning networks so well. Twitter people are the BEST! Although I’ve never met Jess in real life, I think the world of her. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall, listening in on your rich, rewarding conversation. Hope to meet in real life someday too.
I have learned a LOT on Twitter. I hate to admit it, but that has happened on TikTok too, though I said for quite some time I would NEVER get an account. It’s funny how social media can sometimes actually be, well… social!
Love this picture and envisioning you and Jess together in 3D. Twitter people have had a major and positive influence on me over the years, both personally and professionally, and you are an important one of them!
What a fabulous real-life connection!
I completely agree – there are so many people I consider close friends whom I have never met in person. I say the two of exchange – was it at the LCC conference … and thought … oh yes, a perfect match! Love your ending – cleverly crafted!
Ooh – I am jealous! Jess Lifshitz is a wonder & I only know her from Twitter. So glad you two connected and that it was so uplifting!
Have always loved ‘real finds real’ and ‘like attracts like’! So true. What you emanate will come to you. I also love that your Twitter feed stays positive even in a 2022 world… so many people seek negativity/ negative people and it’s so nice that you’ve cultivated a positive interweb environment.