Chatrooms And The Dangers It Can Pose For Boomers

The boomers and senior citizens, people who are over fifty years old need recreation and some means to spend their pastime. Those who are retired stay mostly at home and search the web for knowledge, recreation and friendship. Aside from news, research and games, most people go on live chat.

Most websites have chatrooms where the researcher can give his views and comments. Chatrooms can be a means of exchanging intelligent ideas although it can also be a means to propagate negative values and subversive beliefs. It’s better to join chatrooms if you have a good grip of your own beliefs and have an open mind because chatrooms are haven of the out-of-the-ordinary people.

Some boomers who join chatrooms experience culture shock by the people they meet in the virtual rooms. The range of the internet is worldwide and any belief or conviction can be vent out for all users to read. Chatrooms are also an excellent means to meet new acquaintances of different ages and nationality.

Time passes by fast when one is engrossed with something fascinating. When using the chatrooms however, here are a few things to remember to prevent harm and defraud the user especially the senior citizens. Most senior citizen are the most easiest victims when it comes to internet related fraud because obviously they are not as updated of what's happening on the net.

The first precaution you should do is - do not disclose your real name and address. Do not reveal you are alone in the house and other personal information which can attract unscrupulous individuals and zero in on you to rob or to kill you. This is very basic. Since we were kids ,we were taught not to talk to strangers but in the chatrooms everybody is a stranger.

Thus, it should remain that way- giving your real name and address is way too personal in the chatrooms. The next is never reveal your SSS number, bank accounts and other pertinent data. There are cases where the identities of individuals were stolen. Yes, it occurs everyday. You are no exception if you give out certain valuable data in the internet.

Bank accounts were stripped and old-age pensions routed to different persons. Hackers can have a way of getting into the system of institutions to rob and to tamper data. Hackers are innovative people. They can upgrade their hacking tools every hour. Just to be on the safe side, never give or send important data regarding your finances.

Do not get too emotionally involved. Chatters have a way egging on their chat mate to reveal information or to get them to do something like to transfer cash. There are some chatters who do this for a living. They can play on the emotions like using some kind of terminal illness or a dying child or parent just to get their chat mate to pity them.

They will trigger your emotions until you cash out for them. So every chatter should be aware especially the senior citizens. They should discern every information they read through the web and from the chatrooms, too.

Forgiveness

'Many researchers think forgiveness - a virtue embraced by almost every religious tradition as a balm for the soul - may be medicine for the body. They have shown that "forgiveness interventions" - often just a couple of short sessions in which the wounded are guided towards positive feelings for an offender - can improve cardiovascular function, diminish chronic pain, relieve depression and boost quality of life among the very ill.

While much of the early work on forgiveness has focused on forgiveness of others, academic psychologists and clinicians are turning up evidence that forgiving oneself may have a more powerful effect on overall health and wellbeing.'

(Above is an extract from Los Angeles Times article published in the Sydney Morning Herald 22 Feb. 2008)

- By Forgiving we are not doing the person who wronged us a

favour.

- The gift of Forgiveness is for ourselves.

- By Forgiving we reclaim our power from the person who has

hurt us.

- Forgive and free yourself from the energy of crippling, corrosive

emotions like anger and bitterness

- Forgiving does not mean forgetting, only that we are now willing to detach from the emotional impact of the memory, while keeping the learning.

- Forgiveness does not need to be instant and may mean forgiving in incremental steps.

- Forgiving others is the necessary step before forgiving ourselves.

- Unforgiveness of self leads to our own disapproval with dire effects on our own self-esteem, confidence and health.

- By Forgiving we mark the end of an era and can start moving towards a new future of our choice.

Affirmation of Forgiveness and Atonement

In a quiet space, preferably with your hands on your heart, try saying the affirmation below out loud to heal a damaged relationship, family issues or to make peace in your mind with anyone who has hurt you.

I don’t know why you did what you did,

And I don’t know why you said what you said,

And I don’t know why you are the way you are,

But I accept that’s where you need to be now,

And I forgive you and I forgive myself.

I release all anger, bitterness and resentment,

Past or present,

And I release us both in my love.

And so be it.