Of the 34 birthday wishes that I got this year (only counting facebook) 62% of them were from people that live far from me. 4 of them were from out of the country, the furthest being almost 5,000 miles away IF we go as the crow flies! Even though only 9 of these were from people within at least a 2 hour drive, and even though FB "reminds" us when our friend's birthdays are coming up, I still felt liked/acknowledged/appreciated/loved. I didn't have to go to the liquor store just to get someone to say "Happy Birthday!". Utah can, sometimes, feel like a rather lonely place. Of the handful of states I've lived in, this place is the worst for making friends (and even worse for making "special" friends). There are lots of theories on why that is, but I won't go into it here. No matter how lonely some days can feel, having a high-speed internet connection can help you feel that love is just a few whizzes of electrons away. Even though that may sound cold or even sterile, sometimes it's just enough.
