Here's a story that might make you feel good, but it will also make you feel old. It started 17 years ago when 12-year-old Kristin from Arkansas joined a Neopets role-playing guild called Evil Jellies. One of her rivals was 10-year-old Michael from Ohio, although she only knew him as "Doctor," and he only knew her as "Zepher_Cat." They eventually became friends and began to communicate by AIM.
"We went from silly rivalry to talking about school and life," Kristin said.
"It took a long time from having talked pretty much daily when we were younger teens when he finally sent me pictures of himself and we would sneak phone calls."
The pieces of each other's human selves started to come together after they exchanged their real names, locations, and photos over AIM. Kristin soon started to develop romantic feelings for Michael.
years went by, and Michael arranged to go to college in Kristin's home town. They married in 2013. You can read the whole story of what can happen when you talk to strangers on the internet at Buzzfeed.
(Image credit: Kristin Andrews-Karr)