So let's play a game. Name as many of the above social media icons that you can in 10 seconds. Ready, go!
....
How did you do?
Of the 42 shown, I was only able to name 12 of them. Twelve. And just because I can name them doesn't mean I actually know what they do. I just know that they exist and I have run across them in pop culture somewhere.
In the world of social media, I can't keep up. I have Facebook under my belt, and I am familiar with the idea of Twitter (not a tweeter myself), and have a LinkedIn page that kinda just hangs out there. My son has YouTube down and I clearly can blog and oh, how fun is Pinterest? But the rest of these -- foursquare, vine, tumblr, etc... I'm stumped.
I feel like I'm beginning to start that phase in life where the next generation is passing me by, leaving me out-of-touch will all this new-fangled technology.
Isn't life moving too fast already? Must we make even more information available instantly? Do we need to know so much about where a person is eating, see a "vintage" picture of what they are eating, view the recipe of how to cook it ourselves, and knowing who they are eating it with? Can we not be content to just be?
Oh, I must sound old to those young whippersnappers.
With the risk of falling behind even more, I've taken a step back from my elementary toe hold in the social media world. Facebook, I've loved you, but why must I waste so much time with you? I don't need to see everyone's shared animal mimes, political opinions, links to silly videos, etc. I am not severing our relationship completely. There are still wonderful updates and milestones to interact with on there and it's an appreciated connection with my friends that live far from me. But I have more important things to do. I've removed the Facebook app from my phone and suddenly I don't feel nearly as attached to that 2.5" x 4.5" device as I once did. I'm making a conscious effort to leave my phone in my purse instead of having it within arm's reach at all times. You know what? It's ok if I missed the post about so-and-so's beautiful vacation. I'm breaking my need to know everything.
Ahhh, it's freeing.
Because really, social media just makes us anti-social. We can't be away from our handheld devices for risk of having withdrawals. We might miss something! I watch others at lunch or in waiting rooms, passing their time alone with games and articles. Or worse, missing the opportunity to connect with their families and children by worrying about what everyone else's families and children doing.
I miss connections.
Last weekend we met three new neighbors on our street. We've lived here almost two years and finally met people that live two houses away. I loved it! I love the small talk, the friendly waves now as they drive by. I love that Adam can go "walk the circle" (the cul de sac) and there will be kind people who know him and know where he belongs helping to look out for him.
Community. I've missed it for a long time.
With the warmer spring weather, it's a joy to see other people out enjoying it, too, working in the yard, walking dogs, taking bike rides. I want to see people being and doing, instead of sitting and looking.
I hope the same for you as well.
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Maybe this isn't the time to mention it, but I did join Instagram recently. I have more control over who I wish to see (and it's only a handful of the special people I love most) and since it's simply pictures, I don't have to wade through meaningless posts just to see the latest photo of their child or project. So, if you wish, follow me on there. You're more likely to get a more updated pic of the boys there well before I get around to blogging about it, and it will probably be a place where this blog merges with my craft blog, too. And I'll get around to blogging about the family again soon. Now that it's warmer, we're bound to do something blog worthy!
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