Thoughts in the Night

Rethinking facebook...
It is addictive.Yet with every passing day,there is an unsettling loss growing within. Logging on, I'm immediately met with updates on my myriad of 'friends' -- people I know (and some I want to know) but don't really know. Their numbers grow, providing a false perception of relational-ism -- they are my 'friends' -- but what do I really know about them? Other than knowing that they are 'contemplating the universe" or "taking a break" or "happy for the weekend."

Two friends overseas actually talk about life in a different culture and the pictures of friends at a distance are good reminders. But the vast majority of these 'friendships' are spread out over a thin veneer of depth. There is no requirement to invest in their lives beyond benign comments. I don't know their joys and sorrows. We are not pilgrims together, finding meaning along life's path.

Rather, we are glib, cyber-drive-by-commenters skimming the surface of life. It makes me -- not bitter -- but deeply sad -- this psuedo sharing of the insignificant.

We dare not ask the hard questions like:
What does life mean?
Why am I here?
How can I make a difference?

Instead we feature new notches on our friend belts, snapshots, games, flair buttons and lists of where we've been.

I am the worst offender of relationship-lite!

But every night, in the half-light between wake and sleep, there is a pinch of sadness --
for not encouraging my friend in her faith journey,
for forgetting to affirm the young mom who puts family first,
for sending 'I-heart-you' buttons to the niece who would do better with personal attention.

Facebook -- merely faces with books that gloss over the real stuff of life and relationship. I'm not giving up on it, but...

...let there be more than this, is my prayer,
...let us be truly present,
...let us make even a small difference that resounds in eternity
...let it be so!