DAY EIGHTEEN

I am thankful for (sigh) Facebook.

Okay, don't judge me yet. I have a very acceptable explanation for including FB on my list. For many of us, Facebook can be a serious time-waster. We creep on people's pages and we become discontent when comparing our life with others'. Having said that, there are a lot of wonderful things about Facebook. So let me put it this way: it is not FB itself that I am thankful for, rather what it represents. 

I am thankful for the connections I have through Facebook.

For instance, I have always dreaded the concept of attending my high school reunion. I mean, I sort of felt like that part of my life was over and I was happy for that. High school was a time of insecurity, uncertainty, and pressure. Frankly, I was not too hip on the idea of revisiting all those insecurities. The thought of having dinner and drinks with a bunch of people I hadn't seen or talked to in ten years seemed a bit absurd to me.

That was before Facebook came along.

Thanks to Facebook, I had reunited with many people from my graduating class well before the reunion rolled around. My classmates and I had commented on eachother's pictures, congratulated one another for family additions, and even chatted online...all through Facebook. It allowed us to pull down any stereotypes or barriers that often come with high school relationships. By the time our invitations went out, I was eager to see so many people from my class...people I didn't take the time to really 'know' in high school.
In a way, FB has offered some sort of security blanket for many of us. We can befriend those we never truly did, but secretly wish we would have. We can look up old elementary school classmates. We can find old teachers. And we can stay in touch with others as our lives drive us geographically apart. I am so thankful for that.

I am thankful that I can keep up with old and new friends alike through one source. I love seeing pictures of my friends' kiddos everyday. I love that I know when someone is newly engaged, married, or pregnant. I love that we get to celebrate with one another through words of encouragement and congratulations. And I am thankful for the warm fuzzy feeling that FB connections often provide. Little things like a picture comment, wall post, or personal message let you know that people care about you...quite a bit more than we could imagine.

So today, I am grateful for so many people that I get to 'see' online everyday. I am grateful for the encouragement, advice and laughs that FB connections provide.

Lord, thank you for those that I have reunited with through Facebook. Thank you for the re-flourished friendships and for the new ones altogether. While online sites can be such a distraction, help me to focus on the positive and use those connections for You.