Woman aching over a break-up meets a kind stranger online. A year later, she's in Rome, grateful for the heartbreak

A woman (u/maybe-potential) from Singapore, living a perfect life with her boyfriend, was left heartbroken after the breakup. She went back to her parents, but the separation broke her completely. She spent multiple nights without sleeping and couldn't move on from her ex. Devastated, she turned to a "breakup community" on Reddit and decided to open up to a group of strangers online. Her post blew up, and she was flooded with comforting messages, but a particular DM caught her attention. It was from a lady in Italy, who eventually helped her move past her traumatic experiences. 

The Italian girl was going through a similar phase in her life, and so she could resonate with the author. "We started talking. At first, it was just survival, checking in to make sure the other had eaten or stopped crying. But then, the DMs turned into daily life," she wrote. The conversations moved from how to stop missing their exes to healing journeys. "We healed through our screens, two strangers on opposite sides of the globe tethered together by a shared ache," she explained. A year later, the author decided to travel to Europe to meet her online friend. She was nervous, thinking, 'What if it turns out awkward?' but little did she know it would be a trip of a lifetime. The Italian girl traveled four hours to meet her, and when they met in the room, it was anything but awkward. "We had a moment where we looked at each other and realized the 'worst thing' that ever happened to us, those breakups, was actually the price of admission for this friendship," the author said. She explained they would always choose their friendship over those breakups. "Your life is so much bigger than the person who left you," she wrote, reflecting on her experience. In the era of the Internet and social media, people are more likely to find wholesome relationships online rather than in real-life events.

Pew Research Center found that 57% of American teens (among those surveyed) have made new friends online; in fact, 29% of them have made more than 5 friends online. However, only a few friendships turn into in-person friendships, and only 20% of respondents who have made an online friend have met that friend in person. The same survey found that boys (61%) are more likely to make friends online than girls (52%).

Meanwhile, reacting to the Reddit story, u/doubtitx commented, "This is the most wholesome post I've seen in a while. Two authentic souls, the friendship of a lifetime. I met my best friend in a similar way when we were out, and she (as a stranger) saved me from a married man who was harassing me. If it weren’t for both of our breakups with abusive men, we would have never been allowed to venture out that evening." u/adeptstudent77 wrote, "What a great story! For as many weirdos there are on the internet, it is refreshing to hear/see stories about how the kindness of just one person can really change someone's life. Be kind." Similarly, u/raleigh030 said, "That's amazing! This is how the Internet should be. It should connect us, destroy borders, and help during the loneliest periods."

More on Scoop Upworthy

Woman who gave up on love turned to a Facebook group for 'dull people' — and ended up meeting her soulmate

Man finally meets online buddy after eight years of online friendship and gaming: 'My brother!'

A bored Reddit user posted 'I'm bored' and ended up finding the love of his life