Today I heard of the tragic death of Megan Porter one of my Twitter followers @MegaPixel and it really made me contemplate the connections we make using social media and why we are so drawn to these connections. I’m always amazed at how when tragedy strikes those we have met through social media never lessens the  feelings we as their followers feel . They are still so real and painful.  I didn’t have a chance to get to know Megan, but yet this morning when reading the new’s story of her accident I felt a jolt of sadness.

How can we explain the social connection between those that we never meet?  It’s difficult and  it’s emotional.  We bond, we correspond, we communicate, we interact.

We meet on Facebook, on Twitter and sometimes, but less often on MySpace.  We find something in common, thought provoking or inspirational and we are drawn to connect.  Our circle of friends, associates, and business partners expands in a non-traditional way.

Social media has changed our lives, we now learn of engagements, births, break-ups and even death on the internet cyberwaves before it’s broadcast on traditional media or before we receive a telephone call. Think about it, news about the death of Farrah Faucett, Michael Jackson and Billy Mays all spread across social media networks first.

The connections are real, the networks are solid and the daily interaction thriving. Our circles of friends, associates and business partners grow daily and when we lose one that we never met physically we feel as if we really missed out and the pain feels tremendously real.

It’s amazing where these social tools have brought us today. They are not new, as a matter of fact they started off years ago with IRC (internet relay chat) and AOL, but today we’ve become more accepting and willing to adopt these forms of connection – we see them as less odd, geeky or weird; perhaps you could say it’s more commonplace.

Businesses often wonder how it is that social media gains the response that it does when it comes to viral and word-of-mouth marketing; truth is it’s about the connections, as individuals we long for the connection of others, these mediums give us the ability to connect on our own terms 24/7.  We can share as little as we want or as much as we want about ourselves.

To those I have met through the wonderful world of social media, thank you for sharing your lives with me.  Thank you for not only allowing me  to teach you but allowing me to learn from you and share in your wonderful successes in life.  Life is amazingly full of ups and downs and I find it encouraging that through the means of our internet connections that we can help one another through those ups and downs.  I enjoy not only the real lessons I learn from those that I follow, but I also gain great insight into the life lessons you share.

Many think I’m a social butterfly and I suppose on certain days I am, but more often than not I tend to be the loner that sits back and takes it all in. I’ve had my own share of personal tragedy throughout this year struggling with the end of a long relationship, job lay-off, ending of an engagement, moving from what I would call my hometown to start over, finishing a book and starting not one, but two businesses. I’m lucky to have the ability to share each day with all of you and to watch you progress in your own life journeys it is inspiring. You are all rockstars, thank you!