One of the greatest gifts for me in being part of Facebook is the opportunity to reconnect with people I have not seen or talked with for a long time. Some of the first people who “friended” me on the day I set up my profile are people I have not talked with since we graduated together from high school, or college.
I have seen that people have gotten married and divorced, been widowed, raised children and grandchildren, settled down or become more free-spirited; some have even become pastors!
It is fascinating to come across someone with whom I have not had any connection for years, someone with whom I have shared important experiences, and find out what has happened since. It is like finding the next section, or the sequel, to a book or movie that I appreciated at the time but have not picked up since. Amazing! Finding out more of each person’s story often puts what I remember about them into a whole new light.
Hearing these stories also lets me live through these other lives vicariously. Sometimes I am grateful, sometimes I am envious, sometimes I have regrets; always I gain something. I tend to wonder what life would be like: if I had made different choices, if I been more like some of the other people I knew, if I had learned lessons and gained insights earlier in my life. Listening to other people’s stories helps me understand and appreciate my own struggles and decisions.
Facebook, and other social networks, can be a window that allows me to see what might have happened, if only things had been different. Of course, they can also be a mirror in which I can reflect on where I have been, where I am now, and where I might want to go next.
Social networking can be much like one large great conversation with friends you have known, and who have known you, for a good long time. What matters most is how you approach it.
What is your take on Facebook?
[ Facebook image by smemon87 on Flickr ]
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