but now I feel your presence in a way I could not know

Another one from the Big Bad Blogger Challenge, and this is such an ironic one for me, personally:

SL Bloggers - How hard do you think it is to find a relationship in SL? If you have an SL relationship, have you met in the physical world? Would you meet them? Do you think it would change your SL relationship if you met?

How hard is it to find a relationship? Not hard at all. There are so many seekers and so many finders, sometimes it seems like everyone's dating on SL, 24/7. Love lost or love gained or love misplaced or love pushed away; partnering and unpartnering and flirting and courting and reviling and arguing; tears of joy and lamentation; hearts breaking, hearts burning. Love? SL is steeped in love.

I've had several SL relationships. Of all of them, I've talked (voice) to four of them (though I've heard the voice of one more); seen six--seven--wait, no, nine--via RL pictures; and currently, two of them have my home address.

Of course, one of them has it because she lives with us now, me and my lady wife. Miss Neome moved in, left the pixelled screen for the world of greater restriction, and we love her for that and so many other reasons. Life with her is challenging, bizarre, confusing, warming, enriching, baffling, joyous, and occasionally hurts deeply--but it wouldn't be true love otherwise, now would it?

Would that mean every relationship I've had on SL would transit as easily? Might as well consider any online relationship; and on that, I think the jury's still out, and always will be. I have met people I adored deeply, in every sense; I have met people that I was grateful to be friends with, but there was no single spark of sensuality between us. I have rarely clicked with anyone, in SL or online, that I abhored on meeting; but there's always a first time, isn't there?

Am I willing to meet people from SL? I am; I have, in fact. But it's always a nervy thing, anxious-making, and I don't do it lightly. I am not the type to go winging across the country at a whim. Not anymore, at least. These days, I'm more comfortable typing; talking; and seeing in person, in that order.

But those I love, I love deeply, and while it can be a difficult juggling act, I try never to diminish one love for another, regardless of whether that love is RL or SL. It's not always easy to do that, though.

So, in brief: hard finding a love on SL? Not at all difficult. Hard finding the right love on SL? High level of difficulty, but it can be, so very much, worthwhile. Have I met anyone I love or loved on SL? Yes. I haven't regretted a meeting yet.

And do I think it would change the SL relationship I had, I have with them? It's changed every single one so far. Some for the better, some perhaps not, but friendship on occasion is just as important, and more valued.

I seem to have a surfeit of love, at present. Any others, I might have to start handing out numbers and set out queue markers!