I remember not having the internet. I remember dial-up and disk that came in the mail for free hours of AOL. I remember groups and chats. And I even made a few dollars on epinions.

But I also remember learning new things. Things I wasn't taught as a child.. Things that changed my spiritual path in life. Growing up in the bible belt as a heterosexual female, I was taught marriage, motherhood, and okay, you can have a career but....

Luckily, I heard conversations from women about how they would do things differently, I read books about it, and with more time on the internet I discovered I wasn't required to be these things. I could stay single, have a lover, travel, have a career, and do pretty much whatever the hell I want.

I think for a lot of people. Books, the internet, writing has been our path to freedom, self-discovery, and exploring possibilities.