Since when has Facebook become something that we define our relationships by? I've had people delete me from Facebook as if deleting me is going to wipe me off the face of the planet. Or if a lot of people write on your wall, you're "loved". But if not, you're lame. Since when has a "social network" become the place to maintain local friendships? Or to read people's status updates and judge what you think is going in their lives?
I have many friends that live all over the world. Facebook has been a great tool to connect with them and to keep them connected to what is going on in the States. But I have also "reconnected" with many people from high school or what have you. Yes, I or the other party accepts the friend request. Then what? We look at each others pictures and skim each others wall. We really don't "reconnect"...we catch up and see what their significant other looks like or their kids; we see where they are working and if they are "successful" or not. It's not a reconnect at all, but more of a "let's see where we are in life and then move on".
I formerly had a lot of information on Facebook. I've taken a lot of it off or made it private. It's not that I'm fearful. I just began to examine why I felt the need to share every single part of my life with 800+ (now down to 575) friends, of which maybe 200 of those I really have a decent relationship with. I have purged friends...friends of friends of friends, friends that I never communicate with and friends that don't use Facebook anymore.
Again, why do I have to share every thing with everybody? I want to be the type of person that develops solid friendships...friendships that will stand the test of time, distance, struggle and heartache.
Facebook has been a tool to help develop a FEW friendships that have come face-to-face (like our friends that just visited). It's also an easy way to get information out to a lot of people (like when Chuck died). I was appreciative to Facebook for helping me to get my free spicy chicken sandwich at CFA. When we were in Mexico, it was our connection to our friends and life in the States. See? There are some reasons to love it :-).
I love it and hate it. It has brought about good things in my life and annoying things. I've been on the brink of deleting mine so many times. I hold on to it ONLY for my international friends.
Stalk ya later!
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3 comments:
i've never had a facebook account. and from what i've been hearing lately, i am more and more glad that i never jumped on the facebook bandwagon. i think it would stress me out too much and be too much of a distraction for me. but i can see how it would be good for international friends, like you were talking about....
Amen sister!
I have this desire to check and see if you deleted me, but what would it matter if you did? I know that you are my sister in Christ and a "bosom buddy", so why should I care what our FB status is? I loved you before FB and I will love you in the future when FB is eventually lame :)
Lora, you're blessed to have never been sucked into it. ;-)
Jen, you're right...at some point it will be lame, just like Myspace.
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