Facebook

As you can tell from the lack of posts here, life has been on a bit of a "same ole, same ole" thing going on lately. Nothing new to write about, nothing really new to share. However, I have discovered the joys of Facebook and find myself updating friends on the trivalities (if that's even a word) of life - from the 3 1/2 hours I spent on hold yesterday to the weather to football updates.

I know, I know... how boring, right? It might be to some people. But I think I actually like Facebook.

It was a little freaky at first. I remember so well growing up and looking forward to the day I would leave that small town behind me, never look back and rarely, if ever, return. And yet, I find myself drawn in and catching up with people I hadn't really even given much thought about of the past 25 years or so. One thing I learned is that a lot of us were suffering from the same teenage crises and just never knew it. And it makes me wonder what if...

What if we had known we had the same fears and insecurities? Would we have been better friends in high school? Would we have maintained those friendships and communicated more regularly? Would we be in the places (physical and emotional) that we are now? If only we had known.

What if we knew who we would be today? Would we have treated others the way we did? Would we have done or said things that didn't hurt others but ended up hurting ourselves? Would we have judged so harshly? If only we could have known.

What if we had maintained those contacts rather than redevelop those friendships? What if we had been as free about sharing who we were as we have been about sharing who we are? What if...? How would life be different?

It's been good to reconnect with people. I found it slightly satisfying to see that someone who had been rail thin and who tormented me in high school for being heavy is now struggling with her own weight issues. (Yes, I know it's not nice - just that I think she has a better understanding of how I felt then based on how she feels now)

I travelled back to the early days of pre-teen romance and reconnected with my first beau. We were in 5th or 6th grade and he bought me a giant chocolate Easter bunny. And I remember heading to the basement to talk with him on the phone - which of course we weren't allowed to do very often or for very long because even though we attended the same school our phone calls were long distance charges.

I got to "meet", as an adult, people I vaguely knew as a child - people who knew my mother in her better days, including a gentleman who almost became my step-father.

I have had the opportunity to show former teachers and mentors that I turned out alright in spite of myself.

I've been able to stay in better contact with immediate family as well as finally get to connect with some extended family that I've been trying to locate for some years.

But I think most important of all, Facebook has given me an opportunity to look at my life - past and present - and to realize just how truly blessed I am to have so many friends and family members who are there to support me even in trivial everyday things. I think I took for granted that my world was smaller than it really is.

So, if you're not already on Facebook, you might want to give it a try. I'd be happy to be your friend.