Are you falling in love with the man that you met in an Internet chat room? Maybe you think of him all of the time. Perhaps when you think of him your thoughts become warm and tender. Could it be that you are already thinking of a life together with him? So, are you falling in love? Wow! That happened fast. It seems like just yesterday that you wrote your bio for internet dating. You were hoping to meet someone interesting. He answered you and you started to chat in cyberspace. Now you wonder what it would be like if he were to hold your hand, brush your lips with his, or even touch you more intimately.

Are you falling in love when you find yourself day dreaming of a man whom you have never seen, even across the street? Maybe he lives in a neighboring town or even a different state or country. What will you do when you want to meet this man of your dreams? Just as importantly does he want to meet you? Does he have similar desires and fantasies like those that you have started to have about him? Have you talked about intimacy? Has anyone suggested getting together? Are you falling in love with a person or with the idea of being in love? Where is this cyberspace relationship going to lead to?

In the flesh and blood world, intimacy proceeds step by step. When it takes a little time to get from one state to another, couples have a chance to get to know each other, to bond. When it all happens too fast couples experience physical intimacy before getting to know each other. On the other hand what happens when we spend days, weeks, or even months chatting in cyberspace without human touch? We start, in the real world, by looking at each other, making eye contact, talking, holding hands, touching each other. When a level of trust has evolved we touch more intimately until we touch each other’s genitals or engage in sexual intercourse. Are you falling in love if you and the one you long for are always physically separated? If you long for this progression of touch, trust, and acceptance and it does not happen will love last or will the cyberspace relationship stay at the online flirting level? Will it whither and die? That will usually be your choice, to go to the next step and meet the person in real life, or to continue to chat in cyberspace. Now you have a chat window coming up on your computer screen. Are you falling in love when your first thought is of him?