The past year has been one of finding my life. But, I fear, I have lost part of my life in the social media that I surround myself in.
It began so innocently with this blog. Then, another blog for my home & garden when we moved in two winters ago. Then, Facebook networking became more of a way for me to keep in touch with old friends that I haven't heard from in a while - some from high school, college, and others who I worked with but wasn't able to keep in contact with any other way. Later last year I began to check out Twitter, simply because some of my favorite people - including my cousin in Japan and my brother only communicate that way. They don't use Facebook.
I recently got a new smart phone (Android) and have been able to load both of my Gmail accounts, Yahoo! email, and work email. Along with the data plan, I was also able to add unlimited texting to our plan so that my daughter can now also use texting to communicate with me.
A bit much? Probably. -- there -- you couldn't tell -- but I left just for a moment to check on Facebook again. And, I really have to learn some boundaries with this phone thing. I can't blog on the phone - so that's one thing that's good. Although I must admit I tried a couple of blogger apps, to no avail. But, the electronic games are pretty addictive. I'm at least learning to not bring the phone to the dinner table - and not to glance at it in the middle of a conversation unless it's actually ringing. That's like saying I'm just a social drinker...and I don't have a drinking problem because I can control it.
I must know that it's too much when I mention apps like Hootsuite and Tweetdeck and everyone around me thinks I'm speaking another language. Like the teacher on the Peanuts cartoons - whah-wha whah-wha wha whah.
But really, what is the harm in being so connected to the world around me? After all, Twitter is the new evening news, right? That's how we're hearing news from around the world - in 140 character bits - and just enough for a sound bite. Just enough to keep me from really going deeper - into the deep thoughts and heart of who I'm wired to be. My strengths teach me that I'm connected, and I'm a networker who woos people by connecting with many across a broad spectrum. But, what does that mean for my deeper relationships?
What am I losing, giving up, or just plain ignoring? How can I balance my need for social media with the need for deeper meaning in my life? I'll be thinking upon that tonight as I sleep.
to be continued...
