I know social media has been getting some bad press lately,
and taken to the extreme, it’s just like anything else, it can be harmful.
However, social media came into my life at a low point for me and helped bring
me back into the living.
I joined Facebook shortly after I lost one of my best
friends from high school. As tough as that loss was for me, the fact that I had
so many people, that I hadn’t talked to in years, “friend” me, made me smile. And
we all know that when you talk with old or new friends about their lives, it
often helps you get past the bumps in your life. I spent time catching up with
people from high school, kids I used to babysit and co-workers. There were lots of wide-eyed, whoa moments, and plenty of fun too.
Then, by my son’s doing, I started playing games. That
brought a whole new world into my social media life. I started talking with
people from all over the world, and many of them, quickly became my friends. I’ve
never met any of them and probably never will. That was six years ago and I’m
still friends with many of them. When I lost my mom, I had so many more people
there for me, and that was priceless.
Recently, as many of you know, I have become a HUGE Home
Free fan, and again social media has brought me many new friends. Home Free is
a country a cappella group that will get you hooked on a cappella music.
However, something else they have is the greatest fans in the world. I joined
several fan groups, which, at first seemed odd at my age. But in time I got comfortable and started talking with many fans. Plus, this time, I actually got to
meet some of my online friends! A few Home Fries are local to me and that led
to concerts in Oklahoma and Texas and some great times. One sweet lady flew all the way from Germany
to Dallas, Texas to see a Home Free concert! I have a whole new set of friends
that have put me on a path to writing again, sharing, crying and laughing until
my sides ache. It’s been an amazing nine months getting to know Home Fries from
around the world.
Now, so you don’t think I sit in front of my computer all
the time and type my life away, I have plenty to keep me busy. My son has been
in a marching band, playing Bass drum, for the last 6 years, in high school and
college. I’ve been to almost every home game he marched in and a few
competitions. Plus many concerts, like Barbershop chorus, Cuban drums and Men’s
choir. My daughter and I are very active in Girl Scouts. She becomes a Brownie
this year with a great cookie selling track record. I am a volunteer
photographer for our troop and our service unit and I’m the Cookie Momster for
our troop. My kids, band and Girl Scouts have also brought many new friends
into my life.
So you see, social media really can be a great source of
meeting people and learning amazing things. When I say learning new things, I don’t
mean believing everything you read and the drama, I mean talking with people of all ages and
from all over the world. I have learned about conditions I never knew existed,
triumphs that shouldn’t have happened and the endless amount of strength and
hope that people possess. Men, women and children alike. And let's not forget some of the funniest jokes too! Social media doesn’t have
to be your only source of socializing, but it can make what you have even
better. However, as we’ve all heard before, all things in moderation.
So this goes out to all my social media friends, the ones I’ve
been lucky enough to meet and the many I haven’t met. You have all enriched my
life in ways that are hard to describe, but easy to know. And to all of my
family and friends, on social media or not, thank you for being a part of my
life and best wishes to you all! And now, since I don't get paid to blog, I guess I should get back to work and so should you!
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