I will be going on a Facebook Hiatus, or more so a detox; quite possibly a permament vacation. My mind is severely in need of technical rehab. I have began to notice the negative ways that Facebook is affecting me. It allows me to be completely absent from true relationships and friendships because I can simply answer to the people I am “involved” with only when it is convenient for me. That is definitely not loving others the way that I feel I would like to.
I have also noticed the large amount of time it takes from my spending time with and serving Jesus, my family, others, and myself. These are the most important things in the world to me... or are they. I find myself asking my almost two-year-old daughter to wait to tell me what she needs so that I can see what so-and-so had for breakfast or where they are vacationing. I do not want to miss my daughter's first laughs and all the things my girls are doing and learning because I am captivated by the soft glow of Joe Schmo's Facebook page. Why is that even appealing in the least bit? I understand that we as humans are interested in knowing how others run their lives and the things they choose to occupy themselves with, but is this even real life?
I have also noticed the way that people lie on facebook. We can use it as a tool to make ourselves into a person who is flawless by choosing to display the positive things that we do in life and nixing the negative. Seriously, are we seeing planes? Are we named Tattoo? Because we certainly are living on Fantasy Island!
I have decided that when something good happens in my life, when I see something I like, or learn something new that I do not want my first thought to be I need to share this on Facebook. I want to soak it in for myself. I want to experience it for my own knowledge, relationships, and happiness. I want to experience true friendships and connections with my Lord, my husband, children and people! I feel that I am being robbed, and up until recently, blindly. However, I have now been given this revelation and will not allow myself to drown out my opportunity to save myself from social and emotional suicide. I want something real... and cyber-relationships via facebook are not real.
If you would like to be a real-life friend, you can reach me by e-mailing me your phone number at beautyforashes67@aol.com and I will respond with a real-life, warm and comforting “Hello, how are you?” Because I would really like to know how you are and what I can do to love you as a friend. I would also like to share how I am too... the good, the bad, and the ugly. I hope that this is not offensive to anyone. It is just how I feel.
P.S. I will be keeping my blog because it is my creative outlet and a way for me to share the things I feel led (by Jesus) to share.
Love it Crys. After we talked about this topic the other day, I felt compelled to do the same thing each time I logged onto FB. Impersonal relationships are what this generation is now accustomed to, and we (as an older generation) should probably be the ones to try and carry on the values of a personal relationship. Meeting people IN PERSON, talking to people IN PERSON or WITH OUR VOICES, and sharing our blessings and sorrows with each other in a far more personal way. FB has been a great outlet to share photos and special moments with family, but in an impersonal way. I probably have more "strangers" reading through my FB than friends and family. By strangers, I mean people that I have no other contact with other than FB. I think I may soon follow your decision. I'll send you and email or call you to let you know! :) Lol. Love ya!!!
ReplyDeleteCrystal,
ReplyDeleteI commend your decision. I, too, have been contemplating deleting my Facebook. There are simply some things that should not be shared on Facebook; and, the trivial things shared are such a waste of time. I am going to bookmark your blog, as it is a joy to see the love you have for the Lord and your family. May you and your family always be blessed Crystal.
Much love,
Dena Martel
rickndee@hotmail.com
Sounds like a great plan my dear friend. I'm so glad that I know you in a personal way and that it's not like I won't get to talk to you anymore because of this! haha! You are inspiring however, to other mamas who feel the same way about being sucked in (by our own allowance, of course). I am a victim of the misuse of facebook as well (not myself, but the way that it is abused to portray things in false light, like you talked about) and it is no good. I'm with Monte in the sense that I like to use it as a tool to share the things of God, so I am committing today to really govern the amount I allow myself. I love you!
ReplyDeleteConfirmation received...two young teen girls committed suicide together this past weekend...their outlet to express the way they were feeling was through FB. Unfortunately, no one was "listening". How sad is it that children these days use FB to tell people how they are feeling. Then when no one "replies", they feel even more alone. :(
ReplyDelete