One of the few online recreational things I still pursue, sporadically, is participation in a couple of Usenet NewsGroups. Most newsgroups about 10 years ago began degenerating badly as spammers discovered ways to flood them with drivel and the average intelligence of the Internet user began to drop as the WWW made it more accessible. However, some of these early virtual communities have held it together, and thanks to recent integrations with systems like Google Groups, are surviving well.
My two groups that I chat with regularly are a silly group of cat impersonators (don't get me wrong, I love 'em) and a very large, very busy group of quilters. Both of my "communities" have offered virtual tea and much sympathy over the recent loss of Panda ov Toes, more so than pet lovers often find in the "real" world.
One of the Quilters, someone I don't even know that well, just made my week yesterday. The quilters refer to their furry (or feathered or scaly) family members as the "QIs", or "Quilt Inspectors", referring to the apparent inability of any housepet to stay out of a snuggly blankie, whether it's a work-in-progress or not. Many in that group can empathise with the loss of a devoted QI. This wonderful lady read one of my first posts on Panda's illness, before she had left us but when I knew the diagnosis was final and things would end soon. She didn't respond on the newsgroup as so many wonderful folks did. She actually mailed me a letter (we have a private directory of participants), including a little sheet of kitty-cat stickers, and a square of a beautiful batik cotton fabric, with a cat silhouette overlay.
This thoughtful little packet arrived not quite a week after Panda's passing. I got choked up all over, not only thinking of Panda but of how much love there truly is in the world, for a stranger to do such a kind thing knowing me only enough to empathise with the loss of a treasured pet.
I have a daydream in mind right now to create a Panda portrait in a quilt. It will be challenging, I may have a few years to go before I get to that level of skill. You can probably guess what I'll be saving that sweet little piece of fabric for.
Go give your "QIs" another hug, everyone. And share the small acts of kindness that remind us what a community we truly are.
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