Have I Had Enough?

I have been very lucky to reconnect with old friends, stay connected with family & friends who live around the country and make new friends with Facebook.  I have been on it for several years now, after an old friend “found” my profile, which I only created at the request of my mom (who never uses it herself)!  Initially, it was pretty exhilarating!!  I loved seeing everyone’s pictures and catching up a bit.  Plus, it was close to our 20-year high school reunion and Facebook was a huge tool for organizing the event.  

I enjoy seeing all the pictures of my nieces & nephews, as well as my sisters and brothers, on Facebook.  I wouldn’t have seen my sister, Kelley’s, wedding pics, otherwise.  When things started in this digital direction, we would share via emails and online photo albums, which required invitations.  I rather liked it that way. 

How about Pinterest?  I enjoy the inspiration for food, crafts, clothes, decorating.  I have boards.  I share Pins.  I “like” Pins.  I comment on Pins.  I have, on occasion, even utilized the Pins I have saved.  For the most part, tho, they sit in my profile….”collecting dust,” like the torn out pages of magazines and the cookbooks of yore.  The difference, much less storage space and no actual dusting required with the digital collections.   

I have a blog page.  I have been writing more than ever recently.  Perhaps because I have more time now that I am on sabbatical or because I think about writing more than before…or, more likely than not, a bit of both.  I read several blogs, too.  I find myself drawn more to blogs which offer topics on simplicity, mindfulness, compassion, generosity over those which are a tad more “fluffy”. 

It’s just where society has been heading.  Everything, primarily, shared via social media sites.   

Lately, tho, I have been struggling with our virtual communities. 

I am again thinking of severely limiting my “visits” to social media.  I need a break from the bragging, the bitching, the whining, the sports play-by-plays and, even, the ignorance.  

I also need the break because I sense myself being judgmental at times.  Like wondering (from what they have shared)   in what reality someone lives when it appears to be incongruous with their roles & responsibilities.   

There is a fakeness to Facebook (maybe we should change the name to FAKEbook) that is in opposition to my values.   

I know that I can “hide” and “unfriend,” which I have done.  But I know I might miss something of importance should I do either and I would like to be able to congratulate or sympathize on the “big” things.  More importantly, I don’t want to miss the photos of my nieces & nephews!!! 

I know that I will have to work a bit harder to find the jewels I desire amid the detritus.  I will need to actively seek out those moments of interaction.   

I have had wonderful phone conversations with my grandma recently and I so appreciate the gift.  I spend time on the phone with my mom, too.  We don’t communicate via social media or emails.  I’ve spoken to a couple of my aunts back in Indiana since our move, too.  I think I am going to get back to the art of conversation.  There are those with whom I want to remain connected and also feel the strong need to hear their voices.  There is nothing like the joy, sorrow, sarcasm, laughter and love that comes with one’s voice ~~ we can choose the right words, but we cannot get the full effect without the inflection.   

I will spend more time reading my books.  Books that are helping me to crack open my shell to further connect with myself and find what stirs my passions.   

I will spend more time being active, rather than passive.  I feel I have been a bit of an ostrich, with my head buried online.    

I need to practice not comparing myself to others.  It is easy to believe that what is shared online is the real story, but I need to remember that so much more is happening “behind the scenes” and it is difficult to come out from the persona.   

I want to write about topics that are meaningful to me and that, hopefully, can help, encourage or inspire others.   

To do so, I need to free myself from the influence & bias that I glean from social media.