Social media

I am off fb / twitter for lent to put time into face to face relationships. Not really missing it. The stream of info can be a bit overwhelming at times.
Then there are the times when people share TMI - too much information, that perhaps should be left unsaid or sent in a direct message to the person involved. It's a public forum people!

Life is also less complicated not trying to read into why someone made a statement on fb or responded in a certain way. Like email, there are no verbal cues or voice tone to spot irony, pain, hesitation or uncertainty. And that feeds into our own assumptions about others or easily pushes our own hurt buttons.

Thomas Kemp in Imitation of Christ said:

"As for the words and actions of others, keep yourself from making rash judgement and do not concern yourself with things that are no your business." (p131)

"we could have great peace if we were prepared to abandon our curiosity about other people's words and actions, and things which are no business of ours." (p43)

As an introvert I can easily dip into the virtual world where it is easy to type rather than talk, it is almost talking to myself. But I'm not. If this is really community people will respond. Even now here on the beach, with no one around, I am wondering who will read this and what will they think. Thomas would probably tell me not to send this blog update email. Such irony;) so much to learn.

But as I press send I do so hoping it will help us all think and decide to talk more than type, call more than text, meet more than tweet; and to read with compassion.