The Evolving Facebook Experience

Facebook continues to amaze me.   Much of the time I clearly use Facebook as a platform to express my views on various social and political issues.  I use it to read and get exposure to the views of others.  The dialogue shapes and moves forward thought and opinion.   In addition, I use Facebook to stay abreast of family, immediate and extended, and friends, and their activities and events of life.  I use it to share about hobbies and interests.

But Facebook is becoming much more and is evolving.  Today I read about an old friend who was moved to Hospice in Banner Elk.  I may not have found out otherwise, or certainly not as quickly.  I have already contacted a member of his family as a result of the post.

I read on Facebook today about a friend who attended, reluctantly, the auction of his Mother's estate.  A portion of his posted comments: "I stayed outside and watched as people I'd never seen before and will never see again, drove off with their pickups full of furniture in which I used to tuck my nephews into bed and read to my nieces. Strangers walked down the driveway with items that I had seen on a regular basis for 50 years."  His total post was quite moving and probably very therapeutic for him.

He got such affirming, warm, and loving comments and responses.  "It's kind of like saying goodbye to old friends.....I remember when mom and dad sold the house I grew up in....I walked through when it was totally empty, and I could hear the echoes of my childhood....and the memories both good and bad coursed through my mind....", posted one  of his friends.  He received many comments along the line of , "I'm sure that it was difficult to watch. Other people can take your material possessions, but they can never take your memories. Hang in there :)."

I never ceased to be amazed at the power of Facebook......the power of human beings expressing and developing thought and emotion.  Social media is enhancing and facilitating the human experience in ways Mark Zuckerman never envisioned. I am grateful to be a part of it.

(Update: Another post which appeared under my friend's post: "Beautiful post, Bill. Thanks for sharing your experience, as always. The week my 14-year old son died from leukemia, we had a middle of the night heart to heart in which he bequeathed his possessions, few though they were, and told me what photo to use in the newspaper. He told me how much he loved his room and asked what I was going to do with it. I was stunned and not ready for the question. I told him I would probably leave it as is and come in there to feel his presence.  Danny knew that I was just embarking on art-making and said, 'Use my room as your studio.' That boy changed my life forever..."). Yes, the power of facebook.