Monday, April 26, 2010

Deep or Wide?

Confession time. I have become a Facebook addict.
It's just too darn fun! I've become reacquainted with old friends, the kind you wonder "What ever happened to so-and-so?" And people find me, too; and sometimes I then wonder, "Who IS this??" and have to pull out the dusty high school yearbook. I can keep up with my kids and family who are spread far and wide, see their recent photos, live their adventures vicariously with them. I can keep up with political and social issues, and post my own which I'm sure is irritating to some of my Facebook friends. It's been great! But, I've also found it has shallowed out my time and thinking.

I can quickly post something political or cultural on Facebook which I agree with, but if I don't actually write about it or think through it so well, I'm not as enabled to defend my position. On Facebook, my thinking can cover a wide range of subjects, but it only goes about an inch deep. It's a very broad, very shallow lake, and I believe my thinking and writing have suffered.

Not only has my writing suffered, but so have certain responsibilities around the house, books I could be reading, actual letters/emails I could be writing. Oh, it's just soooo distracting to plop down in front of the computer "for just a second to check."

So, I've seen the difference in deep or wide, and I've spent too much time splashing about in the shallows rather than treading deep water for good exercise. Dare I make a resolution not to spend so much time on Facebook, since resolutions are made to be broken? Well, I'll certainly begin to discipline myself more and set time limits. Besides, there are so many good things to think through and write through in a blog and I've missed that. For Pete's sake, here it is the end of April and I still have wintertime photos heading my site. And, most important, what about those beautiful grandsons that I can wax on and on about? So, I repent! More deep than wide for me. I'll see you again soon.


2 comments:

Aunt Ruth said...

In your defense... and mine, you were busy with more than facebook since January 31. Facebook, like the computer, is a tool and how we use it defines its usefulness to us. I love seeing all my sibs and nieces, nephews, grandchilren; mine yours and all my siblings, on facebook. I sit back in wonder and think it is a miracle. I think of when I was child, long distance phone calls were too expensive to make more than on holidays and special occasions. Now we have instant messaging, texting (I"m a Luddite on texting), and cell phones we are so blessed to have this access to our loved ones. So here I sit communicating with my niece on her blog while I am in South Texas and your are in Tennessee. Love you,

Bonnie said...

Welcome back to blogging!