
Anywho, I opened up the file, which I'm sure was dusty by now. This was back in my early teen years, thirteen to fifteen... Maybe sixteen? Not so sure, those days are all a blur now. The file was just more of a PDF of an old clan's website I used to hang out with back in those days. I started flipping through all fifty-five pages and the memories came back. Mostly the content was focusing on anything from a parental advisory to the "code" to clan ranks to what was expected of members, ect. I was quite surprised that I saved this and had it on my computer for so long. It got me thinking though.. Of the impact that an online community can have on a person. Believe it or not, hanging out with "The Elders," as we were known, actually shaped who I was... Or at least I think. Heck, just look at our clan's logo.

Even though it was just role play, in my own head, I feel like a lot of the values we stood for in character rubbed off on us all. For me, it was a great experience to get to meet those folks. Especially because it was a tight knit group. The joining process wasn't an easy one either, you had to practically make yourself family to every member, in my day that was only twelve other people... Of course it wasn't much easier from there, had to maintain that too.. But...
It makes you wonder though.. Just how much do the online bonds we form affect us? Can someone so far away in distance really shape who you are? I'd like to thank it does. So this was my tribute to them, The Elders, who I spent some time with back in my youth, behind a computer, behind a screenname, role playing. Hats off to them.
But anywho, I couldn't resist sharing this little piece of history I found on my computer with you guys. I'd love to hear about online groups you've really gotten close with; guilds, clans, teams, whatever.