My daughter is getting very close to her high school graduation date. We're in the final stretch before she receives her diploma ending her high school career and beginning her new adventures ahead. It's an exciting, busy time for my family.
I actually pulled out my own high school yearbook yesterday to reminisce a bit. My high school years were mostly fun memories. I think most of us have a few moments we'd like to forget, but for me, they were mostly happy years, surrounded by good people.
Thanks to social media, I'm still in touch with a good portion of my high school peers today, years later.
I found out last week that one of my fellow classmates, one that I graduated high school with, passed away. Mark was battling cancer for quite some time, and his body finally said, "enough." I know his spirit was a positive, fighting force until his very last breath.
I wouldn't say I was very close to this classmate back in the day. We were in classes together, shared small-talk now and then, worked on a assigned group projects, and hung out with lots of other students in the pizza restaurant across the street from the high school. We were simply class friends.
Throughout the years, Facebook has allowed me the opportunity to get to know him much better now then when I knew him back in high school.
He posted often, and I was Facebook friends with his wife as well. I got "to virtually know" his wife, kids, grandkids, and extended family.
Every post was joyful. There have been so many sweet photos of him with his grandkids. I truly felt the enormous depth of love in each one.
He posted about his unconditional faith. It was beautiful.
He was so strong, family-dedicated, funny, and inspiring.
I prayed for him and his family every day.
Personally, I'm grateful to the technology geniuses for providing a communication vehicle that allows us to not only keep up with, but get to know more about, the wonderful people in our lives.
Yes, sometimes social media can be frustrating at minimum, and at other times, downright maddening. There is a lot of anger in the world right now.
But then something happy pops up, like all the prom photos that filled my feed a few weeks ago. The kids were all so happy and hopeful.
Or someone posts a photo of their child...or grandchild...or new puppy.
Or someone posts a photo of a hummingbird, gorgeous flowering trees, or the vacation shots of the beautiful island they're on...all reminders of the beauty in this world.
Or someone posts the struggles they're challenged with...or the loss of a loved one.
And then we pray together. That's powerful.
These are the types of posts that make my time on social media well-invested. Not the angry posts, but rather the posts that connect and unite people.
Next time you're on social media, be truly mindful of how you feel. After 20 minutes, do you feel frustrated and angry...or uplifted, happy, or hopeful?
In my mind, if I'm going to invest my precious time on social media, I want it to be time that touches my heart in a good way.
Life is too short to feel anger each day. Life is too short not to have positive connections in our lives. Life is too short not to seek and find joy in ourselves and others. Life is too short...always invest it wisely.
