I Wonder If My Friend Gets These Notices...If So, He's Getting A Lot Of Them!

I probably get on Facebook more than I should. In many ways, some things would be much simpler if social media didn't exist. The elimination of social media would have its downside--I actually enjoy catching up on news, keeping tabs on friends and family, but there's a price you pay for that information.

I suppose to liven things up, Facebook implements these little snippets, digital tchotchkes, as it were. The one that popped up on my Facebook post today was called Connection Matters. I probably would have just ignored it, but for the Connection that Facebook decided mattered. 

The picture of Jason did it.

If you're involved in live theater along the Wasatch Front, you either know Jason, or you've seen him on stage. He's prolific, and the reason he gets cast in shows again and again is due to several reasons. 1--he's extremely talented. 2--he's reliable. 3--he's a better person than he is talented and reliable. If you're fortunate enough to be in a show with Jason, you know you'll have a life-long friend once the show's over and the final curtain falls.

Like all of us, Jason has his quirks--good ones, to be sure. One of them is his propensity to take selfies, but for Jason, they're "selfies + everyone else." Jason takes pictures with cast mates, crew members, and patrons who come to see the shows. He also takes pictures when he meets you at social events. I've never attended church with the man, but I imagine he's taken more than one selfie on a Sunday morning or afternoon.

What caught my attention with the Facebook post was the message:

 "Scott, over the years, you and Jason found time to get together. We thought you'd like to take a moment to share how he's made a difference in your life."

I didn't bite, but I wondered if I've gotten this message with Jason, how many of his friends got the same message? All I thought about was poor Jason, inundated with Connection Matters requests due to all the photos he's taken and shared on Facebook.

Then again, maybe he didn't get those messages so it wouldn't really matter. Anyway, just a thought...

My Friend's First Home Together...

A friend posted a picture on Facebook with the title "Our First Home Together." The house represents more than just brick, wood, nails, sheetrock and paint. It's a goal of many to have a place they can call their own, a place to shield them from the slings and arrows of life.

My friend knows all about slings and arrows, and hits and battles and pains. I met her a little under a year ago and since that time, I've watched (via social media...) changes that have happened in her life. She's in a much better place now, specifically, a new home.

We are born into a world with no expectations, at least none we ourselves have. As we grow we think of how things will be,  how we'll live. Will we get married, have a family grow old together with someone? And if so, we will live in a house?

A home isn't a guarantee of a happy life, but it can be a symbol, a symbol of what can happen when people work together to maintain a house or a relationship. They touch up the chipped walls, they repair the screen doors, change the burned-out lightbulbs and keep the rain gutters clear. And they hope the wind storms don't rip off the shingles or bring down the tall pine trees. Because no matter how much we prepare, pain and heartache inevitably come. Without the pain, we cannot possibly know the joy.

Seeing the picture made me happy. It reminded me that we're all out there trying to be in a better place. Their first home together. 

Home sweet home.