Social Media is a good thing.
It’s connected me with people
I was once close to and we’ve drifted apart. We live on different sides of the
country and we don’t get to see each other often, or at all – but sharing a
message, and event, or even Poking someone over Facebook says to me, “Hey, you
are important in my life and I’m thinking about you.
It's connected me to "family" that I've never met...and probably never will. It's also kept me closer to family that I don't see that often, but I'm happy to keep up with them and what's going on in their lives.
It’s also connected me with people I didn’t necessarily like
growing up, and who didn’t like me – all the way back to grammar school. But now, we’re
sharing and chatting and commenting and championing and encouraging and congratulating each other on news,
accomplishments, goals, as well as giving each other solace for our sorrows.
I’ve thought about it a lot and realized over the years that
not everyone is going to like you. And, you aren’t going to like everyone. But,
to finally grow up & not even be able to pinpoint the reasons why you
didn’t like that person, and now you are sharing your life with them and
communicating – it’s amazing to me and truly an interesting phenomenon.
There’s also the downside of social media. The
ever-increasing bullying that is going on. And, it’s more public. It hurts
people, marks them and has even ruined, or ended lives.
I was bullied. Not constantly, but there were things that
happened in my youth that now I remember and it still befuddles me. I got a
call one night when I was in the eighth grade – there was no voicemail or
emails and I don’t even think it was a cordless phone.
And, the girl on the other end, who I didn’t really know –
told me that some boy told her I called her a slut. First off, I didn’t even
know her well other than she was on my “team” – 4 different classes that shared
teachers and went to gym and lunch together, and secondly it was something I
wouldn’t say.
The next day, she confronted me in the lunchroom and started
with me. I don’t fight. I’m truly a make love, not war kind of gal. Well, she
got a shot in and punched me. A teacher, thankfully, broke it up very quickly
and we both brought to the principal’s office.
She admitted she started it and was suspended.
I still don’t know why this event happened. I probably never
will because the few people involved are not in my world anymore. I don’t even
know where they, what they are doing, if they are in jail or even still alive.
I was also what could be considered sexually assaulted…in
the 5th grade I started to develop and the boys used to snap my bra
and call me names. Funnily enough a few years ago I ran into one when I was at
a reunion of sorts at a local bar near my hometown. He’s now married and has 4
daughters. We were chatting and I mentioned it and said I used to have such a
crush on him – he told me he had a crush on me and that’s why he teased me.
It’s not funny, but in a way it is. Over and over, I was
told that a boy teased me because he liked me. And if a girl teased me it was
because she was jealous of me. I don’t know if I truly believe that or not –
especially now when so many kids are publically being assaulted.
It just needs to stop. Now. Today. Kids – I know it’s hard,
but think of the reasons why you do the things you do to each other. In 25 or
30 years (and just so you know, it freaks me out a little that I can say, “That
was 30 years ago….” – think if it was your child, or someone you cared about
and someone was teasing, or bullying, or punching, or harassing, assaulting
that person in your life – how would you feel?
I can also tell you, from experience, that the people you
don’t like now – you may not remember in 30 years why you don’t like them….so
why waste your precious time and energy being negative, judgmental and hurting
someone just because a few badly-chosen words may make you feel more important
or popular, or better.
Because I’m telling you now – you will look back and not
feel good about it…or, you won’t even remember why…and that’s really sad. And,
your actions do affect others.
Just think about it.
