Suggest a friend…

Facebook is a powerful social networking tool and what started out as something for the younger generation has quickly turned into a social networking site for everyone.  It is believed that the internet has taken away much of the personal contact people once shared and the anonymity of it makes for some serious concerns as much of the world is able to see what you post whether directly or indirectly.  However, with careful consideration about what you post online, the internet also gives people a chance to reconnect and once again be a small part of other’s lives who otherwise they would not have the chance to be apart of.  While not the same as a face to face meeting or a telephone call, how cool is it to be able to see pictures of relatives and friends and hear what is happening in their lives.  Hearing from a long-lost friend or relative can be exciting and the ability to just say hello can be priceless.  There are many seniors, including my 80 something year old father, who have joined Facebook and have reconnected with dozens of people who at some point throughout their lives were their buddies, friends and confidantes.  Through time however, these connections change and fade.  A few weeks back a childhood friend was traveling back to New York and through a posting on Facebook an impromptu dinner was set up and a group who otherwise would not have gotten together had a chance to reconnect.  For those of us who could not make it, we got to see the pictures and read the comments and remember why we all were friends.   It is a fact of life for all of us that today’s best friend may just well be tomorrow’s memory.  Facebook however, gives us a chance to hold onto some of those great friends, family and memories and include all of these treasured individuals in our lives as well.