Singing the Praises of Facebook

There is plenty of negative feedback about Facebook out there. I hear it from people all of the time-"I don't care that you just brushed your teeth!" my brother in law ranted after I gushed about how great FB was. Funny he was so negative about it but while he was fighting a losing battle with cancer I think it was a lifeline for him. Shamefully in the 24 years that I was dating, then married to his brother, the best conversations we had were through Facebook in that last year of his life. We connected there. It was there that we realized that we had a fair amount in common and had a few of the same "friends". It was there that many of his dear friends learned of his illness and passing because Randy was a very private person. It was there that I learned after his death that he was admired and loved by so many and had done some amazing things-things I had truly never known until then.
Facebook keeps me in touch with a group of women who have become special to me but were essentially stranger that I heard about through the funny stories that my late friend Gabrielle shared with me. These are her best friends but they have become my friends. They are special to me though I hardly knew them when we came together in a place none of us dreamed we would ever be-our young, beautiful friends funeral. They live far away but we support each other, cheer each other on and share our lives via FB.
     Through FB I have reunited with the childhood friends that I would spend every day with yet had not heard from in 30 years. I blocked many memories from my childhood because it was not always good but these FB friends I have reunited with remind me of the great parts of my youth. I am no longer afraid to go back there because these friends are with me.

   I recently reconnected with a very amazing friend that has been through so much in her short life. I thought of her all of the time but I wasn't sure where she was living or how to get in touch with her. A few days ago I received a "friend request" from her and we have picked up right where we left off. She has written a book about her often difficult journey and it will be coming out in a couple of weeks. It is titled "Checking Out".
     I could go on and on but my message is, so, yes, sometimes my FB friends post TMI but, but if thats the worst I have to endure to reap the rewards of this social network I'm okay with that. I heart Facebook!