I understand what you are saying. I think the advent of the Internet has rewritten the rules of who we know and who we don't know. I have actually only met face to face one person that posts here and for various reasons I have yet to make it to a convention or one of a club meeting. But I have been posting on and reading this board for almost 10 years now so I do feel that I do know a lot of the people here. Besides, I really don't think there is anything wrong with letting someone know you are thinking of them and praying for them in a time of illness or when they have a death in the family.
Hope this helps.
Bill