No, not the movie-although it was great! Yesterday I had a birthday. Not a milestone, just kind of half-way to another milestone, so really inconsequential. I woke up and did my usual routine, walk Elmo Bower, coffee, clementine, vitamins...then logged on to Facebook. I haven't quite mastered the Facebook genre, so when I originally registered with it, I put almost all of my information in my profile. I've since toned that back a bit, but left my birthday in. When I looked, my friend Cathy had started the "Happy Birthdays" and she was quite pleased she was the first one to do so. I must say that for an insignificant birthday, I felt...loved.
Let me explain my take on Facebook. At first, I thought it was silly that people would post somewhat mundane things about their lives on a daily basis. There are some that do. But as I logged on more, at least once a day, sometimes a few, I realized that our lives are so busy, whether it be work, family or travel, that keeping in touch, in person, is difficult. I had a dinner party with close girlfriends in late January. I thought back afterward and realized it had been at least two years that I had been in a social setting with these wonderful pals. Two years. Facebook has provided insight into some of these girls' lives. It's given me a place to go if I've felt blue; you know, the happiest people in the world are those that are dedicated to a cause outside of themselves. Facebook has on occasion, given me a glimpse into someone elses' life, good and bad, so that I can reach out or empathize with their plight.
The other thing about Facebook is that there are people on my site that I have known since I was 5 years old. Cathy (above) is one of them; Billy another and all those Dicksons. I have been contacted by people I went to public school with, junior high school and high school. No old boyfriends yet, but maybe one day!
I had a deep conversation with a young friend last Friday; she was entering into a new job on Monday with Porter Airlines. What we discussed was that sometime when we are self-employed, it is lonely. This resonated with me. Having some contact through Facebook, regardless of how fleeting, can provide a respite from this.
All in all, Facebook is nice to me. Yesterday, I felt acknowledged and loved by people I know, all over the world. For an insignificant birthday, I felt significant and that I mattered.
Cheryl Bower
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