Let's be Friends!

My mind is circling something. An observation I suppose. Maybe a beginning of a rant... I don't know. I don't want it to be a rant. I often find that people's rants are full of opinion stated as fact and actually lacking in actual fact. See what I did there? :) 

Anyway, my thought that started this need to blog/rant is: "I like Facebook". 

Why you may ask did I have this thought? Well let me tell you. I have recently found myself in a group preparing to go on a trip out of the country together and we don't hardly know one another at all. So I have been friending people trying to ask questions, I can see where they are from, what they care about on a daily basis etc.. So why are these thoughts warranting a blog post? Why is my head swimming with thoughts? 

Because the second I thought I like FB it was immediately followed by the next second of WAIT, so many people don't like it, get mad at it and at other people. I can think of so many examples just from this week where I have seen people comment with hurtful words, people annoyed with posts they find annoying (I'll get to this in a minute), and arguments that spin out of control but would probably never happen in real life. 

And I think what is the deal!?!?!

I'm not saying nor will I ever say that I am perfect and faultless.  

I will admit I have gotten in a few tiffs and I have said something that was probably hurtful. I'm not trying to condemn necessarily I'm just trying to wrap my head around this FB world and figure out why I'm in it and find a reason to stay.

I first joined FB (reluctantly in 2007 I might add) to update people about my life who I don't get to see or talk to on a regular basis. I announced I was engaged, told the proposal story and was pleased to have a new avenue for communication. 

My first post.

What I think I have been noticing is that now somehow FB has become a place for random opinions to be announced to the masses. Which, when you think about it, is really weird. Or maybe it is used as accountability (working out, eating, bible reading,etc) which is also kind of weird.  That isn't really what I'm trying to talk about but it does make me question why am I on Facebook.  

hmmm so maybe I still haven't gotten to what this post is all about?

Well, this is my blog and therefore my soapbox to stand on. So maybe this post is about taking a step back and realizing the most things in life and certainly on Facebook ARE NOT ABOUT YOU! Granted I know peoples status, activities, likes, comments show up on your wall if you are friends or follow them but it still isn't about you, that the thing we all fail to see most of the time it has never been about us it's about the person who posted it. So in an effort to help in some way here are some:

1. If you are annoyed with a reoccuring game requests change your settings! Don't yell at people to not invite you. With one simple click you can block that game app! AND NEVER SEE IT AGAIN FROM ANYONE!

2. Are you annoyed with a certain themes (politics, religious arguments, sports updates, trending articles) that you don't care about? Don't read them! Scroll on by or maybe even take some time away from FB if you are truly bothered; an evening- a few weeks- a certain time of day.Why is it other peoples responsibility to not share in their joy, interests, etc. with others just because you happen to not care. 

3. If you get tired of an overbearing FBfriend you can easily change how often you see posts from "friends"! Just change your settings - STOP whining about it! Hide, by unfollowing, people who constantly grate on your nerves. You don't have to "unfriend" them. And you certainly don't need to publicly reprimand them.

We all have our pet peeves on FB. I have mine but how do we handle those annoyances? It's kind of like an opinion I think. Maybe best not shouted to the masses but perhaps handled discreetly.

So where does that leave us?  I guess it leaves us with a question yet again.

Why are you on Facebook? Do you know why?

I am on Facebook to keep up with people I wouldn't get to keep up with on a regular basis.  I share what is going on in my life, for the most part, because my hope is that those who follow my posts want to keep up with me.  So let's do that.  Let's be friends - giving each other love and respect as we share our lives with one another. Facebook is a community.  Living in community is hard, anyone can tell you that.  So let's not forget to be intentional in all our interactions to strive to uplift each other not drag each other down.

So that's what I have been thinking about this week.