It occurred to me at a recent TOPS meeting that zoom has brought us closer together. Usually, when we meet for real, we are 10-12 people. I sit where there's an available seat and talk to the people to my right and left.
Yesterday, there were 18 of us. When you zoom, people's names are in their box. So I finally learned everyone's name. I couldn't remember the names of many newcomers, before, but after seeing their names and faces for an hour, I got it.
Also, I heard people whom I don't usually talk to, express themselves, i.e., I got to know them. I realized at the end of the meeting that I am now good friends with everybody. This doesn't happen at meetings--any kind of meeting, especially regional meetings where you don't know the majority of people. Even if you told people to mingle, they physically couldn't get around to meeting and speaking to everyone.
Instead of meeting for real all the time and zooming only in inclement weather, maybe we should zoom all the time and meet for real for holiday occasions and award ceremonies.
