There are a lot of fantastic things about Facebook. But every once in a while it makes me want to lose my mind. This morning I got a bee in my bonnet - What? You don't wear a bonnet while you read facebook? Odd.
I digress. I felt the need to rant a little about speak life into the way many use this social media outlet. I believe we can do better in regards to how we post about what other people are posting. So enjoy. If you find rants enjoyable, that is:
Dear people of the internet: let's stop using facebook as the metric by which we measure a persons depth of character. Full stop. People will post things all day long that you don't fully agree or identify with. And that's ok. You can like it or not. You can read it or not. But I think we'd all be better off if we stopped trying to tell people when we post something how what they are posting is not the right thing to be posting.
I just used post four times in one sentence. Rants do not make for good writing and stuff.
I'm sure you want to be known and judged by more than your facebook feed. Quit trying to fix everyone else's feed and tend to your own. I believe the literary expression you're now looking for is irony. I get it. And yet, I write.
If you post something because you identify with it, stop using shame and guilt as a way of corraling support. Hint: shame and guilt almost always start with "I bet you won't..." or "I know most people don't care about this but...". If you can't say what needs to be said without firing off those weapons first, perhaps it should give pause for thought before you post it. Perhaps I don't really mean perhaps.
Stop trying to judge a person's value by what they do and don't post or "like". Social media is always a snapshot, it can never contain the whole of who we are as human beings. Thank God for that.
Believe the best in people. They are quite often fantastic, even if you don't agree with everything they do, or if they are moved, or humoured, or excited, or passionate about different things than you are. There is enough humour, grief, joy and sadness in the world to go around and it's gonna show up in all different ways on our timelines. Embrace diversity. It's really so much more beautiful than the monotony of sameness.
Remember that people are seriously God's best invention ever. So instead of trying to find where someone's character is lacking by what they post - look for what they have. See their grief - even if you're more saddened by something else. See the humour, even if it's not your particular brand. Reject the scarcity mentality that says that if you let them have their moment-feelings-attitude there won't be enough left for you. Live with open hands instead of trying to tightly hold on to always being "right" - that's an exhausting burden to carry. Let it go and reflect abundance by looking for it and seeing it in others.
Reflect generous, abundant spirits - even in how you preface what you post. Turning weapons into tools that will build and grow a beautiful life starts with us. Even on facebook.
There. I feel better now.
Well said.
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