Friends vs Facebook Friends

The term friend has taken on a whole new meaning since Facebook entered our lives and changed the way we communicate. At one time when we spoke of our friends we also spoke to our friends. Somehow that comradery and exchange of time and interests has passed us by.

Remember when you would get together with a friend or friends share a meal or a coffee and tell each other what you had been up to, and they would share what their activities and interests were. Now the word share has a whole new meaning. I used the word share in the same connotation it once described, I suppose I should use the phrase exchange of information as opposed to share. You would confide in each other your stresses, disappointments, and the happy and joyful events that you’d experienced. There were tears of joy and sadness, hugs, and comforting words it was so good to just hang out together. Nowadays that communication is replaced with a curt text or a ‘like’ on FB.

The post – ‘if you’re REALLY my friend you’ll copy and paste this write up’ this is an I catcher start phrase for sure – my reaction is OMG are you okay! Then I realize that it’s a generic not so empathetic blurb copied from someone else. It’s along the same lines as ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf. My thought is IF YOU’RE REALLY ‘MY’ friend you’ll call me and ask if I’m, OK? If you’re not okay, you’ll pick up the phone and call someone. Know that you can call me, and we can talk confidentially and work through whatever the issue may be . . .health, family, sadness, joy, loneliness? If we can’t resolve the matter, we’ll find someone that can, together.

Do you recall the telephone? it was an invention that provided direct verbal communication with another person. The ‘device’ at one time was on a ‘party line’ this meant that you were only able to use the telephone if none of your neighbours were using it. Of course, you needed to pick it up to listen if it was available? This often prompted a ‘the phone is busy’ comment from the people using it at that moment to encourage you to hang up promptly so as to ensure the party talking was not eavesdropped on. One of the biggest complaints at the time was that ‘someone’ was listening to your private conversation and invading your personal business. My how far we’ve come now we don’t care who reads what we have to say or in some cases we do a quick video to express ourselves on the ‘worlds party line’. Apparently, our business is everyone’s business today. These days your phone pings cause someone commented on Facebook, messenger, or an email. Phones don’t ring unless you are about to be arrested by the CRA, your credit card has been compromised or you’ve won a trip and you need to provide banking information for the ‘freebie’.

What once was considered private and confidential conversations don’t appear to exist, as everyone comments and exposes their thoughts, beliefs, and intentions regardless of who they damage, nationwide!

The new world of conveniences and devices designed to give us less chores and more time to do what really mattered to us have Instead become a time-consuming addiction. We are robbing ourselves of so much more time, by spending countless hours ‘scrolling’, ‘commenting’, ‘liking’ and adding ‘friends’ because it was a ‘suggested friend’ for you? (you likely have no idea who this person is, until you find a ‘mutual friend’ and FB creep till you figure it out)!

I recall a time when you defined you Friends as the people you chose to spend time with, and you had common interests. Remember the saying “you can choose your friends but not your family”? You differentiated occasional friends as acquaintances. Today everyone is your friend even strangers there are no boundaries.

How often do you check in with your neighbor? I mean REALLY check in physically, not the ‘check in’ on Facebook☹

Is it any wonder that we have a mental health crisis? There is no one to talk to, you may have thousands of friends and likes, your video has gone viral – but still you have no one to talk to when you are alone, sad, and just need someone to listen and to care.

A Friend’s Prayer
May my friendships always be
The most important thing to me;
With special friends I feel I’m blessed,
So let me give my very best.
I want to do much more than share
The hopes and plans of friends who care;
I’ll try all that a friend can do
To make their dreams come true.
Let me use my heart to see,
To realize what friends can be,
And make no judgments from afar,
But love my friends the way they are.
Jill Wolf

Affirmation:

I reach out to my friends personally to ensure they know I am there for them, anytime.
Reach out and touch someone today😊