A couple of weeks ago a woman who’d followed me on Instagram for 10 years happened to be in town and came to pay me a visit. We had written back and forth over the years and sent each other gifts in the mail. She even began making pottery herself, she says inspired by me. Leaving IG after twelve years was no simple, easy thing. Meeting her made me remember the positive side of social media—it’s potential to connect like-minded, kindred souls who never would otherwise have met.