But a similar thought was the spark that sent me back here. A Facebook friend of mine has been clamoring for weeks now about creating her own blog. A few days ago the news of its emergence hit the "feed". She gave it a full-blown introduction, citing her inspirations and thanking all those that encouraged her a long the way...I felt it was rather silly. I know she's just excited, and I should leave it at that without being overly critical.
My wife and I were talking about it and continued to share our general Facebook thoughts with each other. Neither of us are prolific posters of any kind on social media. In fact, I think we'd both prefer to do away with it if we didn't feel like we'd be so out of the social loop given the primary means of communication it's become.
Anyhow, I think I've wished six people "happy birthday" this past year and called it a day. Maybe people have forgotten about me or assume I don't have anything good or noteworthy to share with the world. I'm fine with that. I have to say I'm a little more focused on my immediate reality rather than a pristine online impression I could easily spend hours doctoring up. I'm glad my dear wife thinks the same way.
So...to my kids: Facebook isn't real. Yes, it's great to be connected with friends and family. It can be a loving act to leave kind words on your friend's page. It's exciting to watch people you know grow and change. But don't ever view Facebook as a benchmark from which to compare yourself to others. Know that many people are proudly displaying their best foot forward while the other is often stuck in the mud. It would be quite easy to think some people are living perfect lives. I'd humbly submit that perhaps the people seeking the most validation are the least happy behind the screen.
My point is that you shouldn't bother with giving people the impression of your good life. Make your own good life and spend time living it, not advertising it! A radio host I listen to recently proposed a challenge to his listeners that resonated with me. He asked them, if in one week's time you had to give proof of your life, what would it look like? I've been giving myself the same challenge every week since. If I can't look back and measure positive accomplishment in terms of productivity or enhancing the lives of others, then I'm not meeting the mark in my book. And I know I've never felt accomplished by spending a great deal of time on social media.
So forget the internet and focus on real work, on real interactions with others, on building something, on reading, running, writing, self-study, and charity. Give a darn about improving your character and helping others. Trust me, you will know your own worth. Don't waste a second trying to prove it to someone else.
Love,
Dad
"We're high on the adrenaline of feeling, even though we know it's fleeting and evanescence. And we're getting worse - checking texts and emails and Facebook every five minutes, always searching for that next hit of feeling, that next morsel of approval." - Deborah Meyer
