I Love It/I Love It Not

I'm in a love/hate relationship (again) and it's tearing me apart.

Some days I love Facebook. Some days I hate Facebook.

Facebook is a great invention! How many of us have reconnected with old friends through Facebook? I helped to organize two reunions with groups of college friends and other fun events through the beauty of Facebook. I keep up with so many of my former students using it. I have become reacquainted with cousins - some that I haven't seen since 1980. I can see pictures of my friends, their kids, and find out all of their latest news. I can visit with Charlie and Fred whenever I want because they're still there too.

My friend Lorraine harrasses me on a regular basis to the point that I laugh myself silly. Without Facebook I never would have been able to help my former student Victor when he was in Dallas and needed a ride to the airport - heck I wouldn't have even known he was in Dallas. I enjoy sharing family news with my dad since "no one ever tells" him anything. I now share the silly musings of this blog because I "share" it on Facebook. I play about four rounds of Scrabble every day with my friend Larry in Florida.

And then there is the goofy side that I get share (and have missed). If you don't know what I'm talking about check out my photo album "Tastykake Art." If this teaching thing doesn't work out, I think I could be to Tastykake what Andy Warhol was to Campbells Soup!

Tonight in a magazine I read that a recent study at Kent State University found that "presenting yourself positively on the side (such as through status updates or photo albums) increases well-being and self-worth . . ." So Facebook must be a good thing right?

Facebook is soooooo much fun!!!!!!!!

Facebook is the bane of my existence. As Betty White said "Facebook is a huge waste of time." I've been done with school for over a week, by now I was supposed to have cleaned out the closets, scrubbed the floors, cleaned out the refrigerator, worked out regularly, and read lots of books. Eleven days after school has let out I have yet to clean out the closets, scrub the floors, or clean out the refrigerator (I have worked out, but I have the Facebook app on my IPhone which I take with me so I can listen to music, so . . . ) and I've finished one book that I was reading before school got out.

More times than not, I have felt slighted because I was left out of something and then found out about it on Facebook. And honesty, I could do without the comments people have made about some of the bad decisions I made in college (I think most of those have been removed - breathing heavy sigh of relief here). There are the junior high pictures when I was in my awkward stage (please don't go looking for them) that even I never wanted to see again which someone else posted.

Today in the "People You May Know" box a guy popped up that I met 10 years ago at a wedding in Texas (four years before I thought about moving to Texas!). He and his wife were nice people. I met them one other time after that . At some point I heard through our mutual friends that they had gotten divorced. Yadda, yadda, yadda. The wife and I became "friends" (acquaintances) on FB. Turns out now that all of my "new" Dallas friends (not just FB friends but truly friends that I go out with) are "friending" the husband, so in Facebook logic I must know him too.

This got me thinking. What if you had a really bad divorce, breakup, whatever? What happens to the Facebook friends? Do you stay friends? Does they become part of the settlement?

Anyway, I am going to make a solemn promise to myself right here and now. Tomorrow I will not get on Facebook at all until AFTER I accomplish one of the summer To Do tasks. I'll begin one as soon as I get done with my workout. ; )

Unconditional Love

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves."
-- 1 Corinthians 13:4-7



When I was in eighth grade I had to memorize this Bible verse. It's one that I can always recite at weddings because of Mrs. Mitchell in 1983.

Yesterday, being Valentine's Day, I got to thinking about unconditional love. I know my family loves me unconditionally, but that love is something that has always been there since I was born. Kind of like breathing, in some sense I suppose, I've taken it for granted because it's just always there.

Since I moved to Dallas though I've been lucky enough to experience unconditional love in a different way. I always felt like I should live here and the birth of my Godchildren solidified the feeling. Even though they're five, there is nothing they could do that would turn me against them. They've thrown fits, puked on me, peed on me and on one unfortunate occassion, pooped me. Through it all I love them like I've loved no one else.

I've cried when I knew their feelings were hurt. I've been overjoyed with their accomplishments. I'm almost always sad to leave them. They can make me laugh like no one else. I do things with and for them that I would otherwise never do. If I wasn't sure before, I know now that I am capable of loving someone unconditionally.

The other thing that amazes me is that they love me just as unconditionally. To them I can do no wrong. Any decision I make is okay with them (granted they're five and don't know any better). There is a beautiful picture that their dad took of them a few years ago where they were sitting up in a tree and I had just arrived at their house. In the pictures I know they're looking at me and the sheer delight on their little faces is pure love.

How lucky am I, this day after Valentine's Day to be able to have two shining examples of what Paul wrote in his letter to the Corinthians. Two beautiful hearts that love me unconditionally. (Ali and Jen, if you're reading this - it's pretty close to the same thing I feel for you, but thankfully I didn't know you in diapers - <3 you).