A Virtual Love Letter

 

 

Dear Facebook,

Thank you for being in my life. You are very special and important to me. Since you came into my life, the metamorphosis I have undergone has been profound, and whilst I take all the credit for that myself, your contribution should not be underestimated.

When we were first introduced, you intimidated me. So young and fresh, with ideas and ways that seemed foreign to me. Yet you saw past my advancing years and old fashioned ways, never laughing at my immature, idealistic and naive world view.

Our initial attraction was curiously tentative, but we knew the connection was strong. You didn’t give me too much too soon, never expected more of me than I was prepared to give. Slowly, increasingly I began to feel so safe and secure with you.

You taught me to share, and you led me to really analyse and continually re-evaluate what is of true importance to me, what thoughts and feelings would I be prepared to stand by in front of every person on the planet, if it came to that. You taught me the difference between keeping secrets and cautiously protecting privacy, whilst helping me to understand that when I think I have 100% of the bases covered, that is when I am most vulnerable.

You taught me how to have fun, how to escape into magical, childish worlds; and like a drug you made me feel good. I let you have too much room for a while, I began to take for granted the complexity of our relationship and just wanted it to be all fun. You began to be a bit demanding, insisting I share certain information I might not have wanted to, you pushed me to ask people for things, when I didn’t even know if that friend would be interested in helping me. I even resented you a little bit at times, yet found myself allowing the obsession to grow.

…….and then my world fell apart, and you never left me.

You were quiet and steadfast, there when I needed respite, a laugh, a chat with an old friend or an introduction to a new one when I felt like others were leaving me. Rather than resenting my growing circle of friends, you even helped me to find previously long lost friends, that had never left my heart. Sadly, I have also learned to let go of people whose paths were heading away from mine, and to appreciate the wisdom of leaving the door unlatched, in case someone I was really wanted to knock on it again.

……..and you helped me learn so much when I didn’t understand the big words the white coats were telling me.

You would show me something completely relevant, right at the right time; and then quixotically, when I wasn’t paying attention you would show me the completely opposite point of view. You have given me so much to think about. In many ways you have re-ignited and then whipped up my desire for learning, to fever pitch.

As my entire universe continued to crumble into a relentless, oppressive meteor storm that I had neither the energy, nor the interest to dodge, I noticed you gradually turned lights on in areas I had previously overlooked or neglected about myself.

The developing of my own ability for self-expression in my unique and innate ways, rather than in traditionally revered or politically correct art forms, is inextricably linked to the time we have spent together. Now that I have enough colour in my imagination to be able to clearly visualise the future I want to paint for myself, you have even given me a platform to test the waters of my abilities.

You’re not perfect, but then no one is. You’ve had your big changes too, some of which were pretty hard to get to used to, and I have had to learn the most effective ways of getting the most out of you. Sometimes you really keep me on my toes, with your random unpredicability, but this has merely reinforced that change happens all the time whether we like it or not. You can’t stop it, you can only patiently try to understand it or relentlessly lobby to shape the direction of the change. In fact, the truly only 100% reliable context is the constancy of change.

I also know that some of my friends don’t appreciate you the way I do. They don’t see all the great things you could bring to their lives. That’s ok too, but I really hope they might gradually realise that they are only going to be able to find the Facebook pot of gold, if they carefully examine the authenticity of their interactions with you. I can see the acceptance growing, thank you for not giving up on us.

Still others regularly mistreat you, even using you inappropriately to suppress the opinions of others, including myself. Some have demeaned you by their narrow superficiality and you have remained tolerant of them. Thank you for that, for they know not what they do, they just don’t let themselves feel enough.

After almost five years together, you’ve seen me at my best. You’ve seen me at my worst. You rode the crazy merry-go-round, right alongside me, and you never left. There were long periods of time where all I did was take from you, accepting what you gave me, without contributing anything to our relationship. And still you never left.

You have inspired me, made me laugh, made me cry, and made me think.  Can’t ask for more than that.

I love you FB, and I’m not afraid to say it in front of the whole world.

 

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