It doesn’t matter to me how big your community is, or how small it is. The people around you could be hours away or just minutes, within walking distance and living in a small town together. Today, we are so fortunate that we can – rather easily – find common ground.
I think this is the single most amazing thing that social media and technology have granted to the human race in this day and age. We can be so interconnected even when we don’t see each other on a regular basis; we know what’s happening in each other’s lives…and that is a good thing.
Even if we don’t share lunch or coffee or conversations around the water cooler, we know what is going on.
We just have to find the way to share our lives.
As much as we may complain about whatever platform it is that you don’t like; whether it is Facebook or Snapchat or Twitter or Facebook’s “little sister” Instagram, we can stay in touch so much faster so much easier than we used to.
Don’t get me wrong. I still love to get a written letter or a card in the mail, but it takes longer…and not everyone has what it takes to send one. I know that it takes energy, a lot more energy, and a forever stamp.
Even when something serious in your life happens – some one is sick, injured, losing a loved one, or something WONDERFUL has happened – every little part of life is able to be shared instantly and commented upon – no waiting for the postal delivery (though that is clearly nice,) we know – we KNOW that they care and they are there for us.
It is truly amazing to be able to jot down a few characters on your keyboard, or your touchscreen, or have your thoughts translated via voice-to-text; then with a simple touch to “send”, you know that in a nanosecond the person on the other line is going to have it…if they’re listening that is (and let’s face it, they probably are.)
Tonight, I had fortunate opportunity to get together with friends I’ve known for years. We lived our lives, watching our kids grow up together…and, to be honest, we fell apart from the group. But, still we really miss each other.
Maybe the kids didn’t stay friends, maybe they made new ones or found they didn’t have the same interests anymore. They naturally grew apart. But for us, even years later we can get together, for just one night and start laughing, sharing stories. We can easily find common ground in our lives, even all those years later. It just makes me grateful to have such close, but slightly distant friends and to know that I am looking forward to seeing them again soon, and not just on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, or Instagram. IRL (in real life – ’cause that’s way better when you can make it work.)
Dawn aka Hat Girl