Pictures Of You

I joined Facebook last August, and I have found people from pretty much every stage of my life. From when I was a little boy living in Roanoke, Virginia. From when I was a teenager in South Salem, NY. High school days at John Jay High School and Ridgefield, Connecticut. Community College days from Newtown, Pennsylvania. Cabrini College days from Radnor, Pennsylvania. My time in Sweden. Back to Pennsylvania again. The years I lived in Southern California. People from where I now live in Delaware. Celebrities, artists, writers.

I love Facebook! You can see who got married, who didn't, who has kids, who wishes they didn't! I have seen faces I haven't seen in years. I've seen pictures of me that I never knew existed. I've shown the world some of my own pictures, and shown off my wife and son. The best part is how truly good I have found people to be. We all have preconceived notions of people from our past. I am glad to find out how wrong I was about so many people.

I read this crazy theory not too long ago, and I don't really believe it, but it posited that people are truly becoming global, and how connected we are. With Facebook, this is very true. It is like a time warp, as I recently explained to someone. In a keystroke, I can be back in 1986, or 1979, or 1995 or whenever. I can be back in the present day. It is truly amazing. I would have never dreamed of this kind of technology even ten years ago.

I remember having a debate with my oldest brother Chris back in 1994 over the internet. I was young and idealistic, and I told him the internet won't change anything. I explained how it would take away privacy and people would rebel against it. I have never been more happy to say I was wrong.

I am always surprised when I see someone's name pop up for a friend request. It's not that I forgot about that person. I never forget anyone or anything. But they aren't in the front of my head. It's great to see how people's lives have changed over the years, or where they wound up. Others seem to stay where they have always been, and that's good too.

Being a father for four and a half years, I can see from others' daily status updates that I'm not the only one who has bad days and I'm ready to pull my hair out. For so many of us, we have gone from young rebelious teenagers to caring parents.

I know I'm rambling on here, but I feel truly blessed to have Facebook in my life, and every single person on my friend's list. I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!

Still to come: my thoughts on Israel-Hamas, a little thing called Hosha, the Orchard House, and the catwalk!