Facebook may be somewhat true, but it's certainly not the whole truth...

"When I mediate my life by Facebook, I am the one who controls it all. I curate it by tagging the photos I like, by offering up the statuses I like, by making myself who I want to be rather than who I am. But when I live before others, when I live a real life in the real world, well, that is where people see who I really am. And they love me on that basis. In fact, they love me more on that basis." This paragraph was taken from "Facebook Makes Us Miserable" by Tim Challies' blog from 3-14-11

I recently went out for dinner with a friend that I love but don't see very often. We used to work together "back in the day". We kept each other sane during our years on the job and I'm sure she would agree that our laughter was the "cure all" for many of our woes on the job and off. As we got caught up since the last time we met for dinner, we realized that there was a common theme to some of our personal experiences as of late. We would have never known of these trials had we been catching up solely via Facebook, texting or e-mailing. That evening and the following morning we joked about the Facebook statuses that we REALLY could be posting, but the truth of the matter is that we would not only be embarrassed, we would be betraying the privacy of the people involved in our trials. So although we are not 100% transparent in our Facebook statuses, in all fairness, we just can't be without hanging all of our "dirty laundry" in the public square where it doesn't belong.

I feel that there are many people out there in cyber space that are seeking to connect with others that are going through trials that are similar to their own. I am basically an open book about my own personal struggles with my health, or lack thereof, but it just would not be appropriate to discuss the personal issues that involve others, whether family or friends. Some things are just private.

I guess my point is that no matter how much I am "shut in" due to my MS, I still need to connect with others face to face. Sure the Internet keeps us connected in a "general" sort of way, but nothing can replace sitting face to face with a friend. The opportunity to share with each other, encourage one another, pray with each other, hug each other and maybe even cry with each other is PRICELESS. I am going to try to do this more often. It proved to be cathartic to both me and my friend...we need each other...we weren't meant to do life alone.

Proverbs 27:9
New Living Translation (NLT)
9 The heartfelt counsel of a friend
is as sweet as perfume and incense.