on social media

I've been wanting to say a word or two about social media for quite some time. The time seems to be ripe now. I know I promised to keep my blog sweet and short but bear with me. Just for this time.

The more I think about it, the bigger problem I seem to have with social media. Especially with Facebook. I wouldn't even call Facebook shallow any more, I would call is schizophrenic. I think is distorts the reality in a very dangerous and harmful way and leaves us with an illusion of connection and caring that is not really there. The reason why I've been thinking about it far more than usual is that I'm going through a very difficult time in my life right now. I'm confused and scared and I don't know what the near future holds for me. And for some mystical reason I haven't been able to communicate this to those people I care about. I get really upset each time I go to my FB profile page because all I see there are pretty pictures and witty quotes - things that are rather far from my reality right now. And even though Mr Zuckerberg has not pointed a gun to my head and has not forced me to post these things, for some unexplainable reason I seem not to be able to break through this invisible wall of social etiquette and reach out to my friends and shout out loud and ask for help. The non-realness of the picture that I've created of my life sometimes really baffles me. And that makes these few people who have cared enough and who have broken through my 'profile pictures' and my silence and who are insisting on keeping in touch even more precious to me than usual. I love these friends to whom I can send long emotional messages and who schedule Skype dates with me and pray for me over Skype and who send me simple text messages. And I know there are many more who would be willing to do all these things if I only got over this fake modesty and told them about everything.

And it works reversely, too. I've realised that I have no idea about my friends' real life. I don't know who's confused and who's heartbroken and who's lonely because I can only see cool instagram pics and funny tweets. They may be going through hell and I have no clue because social media has troubled the waters and has neutered our ability to truly reach out and care. And this breaks my heart.

So please, friends, call each other and talk to each other and send some hand-written letters. It might not only save someone's day, it might save someone's life.

But as to me, don't worry too much. Tides will turn again one day and I'll get back to the ministry I was created for. And I'll get my joy back.