Facing the Truth

I've come to the conclusion after spending the past 3+ years on Facebook that to some "friends" I am a nobody...or at least nobody who is that important.

It's okay. It's okay.

I'm not looking for pity -- not in the slightest. I can leave that social network at any time...right?  Or, at the very least, go to "Facebook-users Anonymous." *wink-grin*

Let me explain.

I'm not sure of actual Facebook etiquette -- though I'm tempted to write a manual on the topic -- but if you're "friended" by people, especially people you thought were actual real-life friends, you should be important to them on there, right? What I mean by that is that if you comment on their posts or "like" something they've posted or leave them messages or tell them you'll pray for them, etc., they'll respond to you and maybe even reciprocate in kind (understandably, not all the time, of course). Or if they don't respond to you directly on a particular post they won't respond to anyone else who commented either.

WRONG.

Apparently, it's okay to thank some of the people who offer friendship and kind words to you...and ignore the rest.

Who knew?

Another part of the etiquette that I've come to learn is that people can comment TO someone who has commented on someone else's post, regardless of whether or not they've ever (and I mean EVER) communicated with the original poster directly. It's all a part of that "six degrees of separation," I guess.

Go figure.

I would have thought that they'd comment to the original poster and then add an "aside" to the commenter of choice. Guess I thought wrong again.

And yet another fact that I've learned concerning the Facebook "rules of friendship" is that people can publicly message one another bragging about the wonderful time they had together and how they can't wait to do it again and how they're the best-est friends they've ever known...and their kids will grow up and continue the family friendship for all eternity......  Okay, slight exaggeration on the "best-est friends" part since you know that they'll post that again on another person's wall before too long.

Well, I'll be.

It doesn't matter that their 180+ other friends have just read that and thought that they were their "best-est ever" friends and that they would just love to get together with them but they've been "far too busy to do that...but soon," etc. Hmm...

The fact is online friendship is still friendship. People go online to continue their friendships with others in a different way...another facet, if you will. It matters what you post and how you post and if you post. People are watching and reading and feeling -- even online.

Being rude online isn't any more acceptable than being rude in person. It's just easier.

So, Facebook friends, if you see that you've disappeared from my list, you'll understand why. Nothing personal..... 

Friendship is friendship (caring, loving, praying for each other) -- online and offline.  I'd rather spend my time -- both on and offline -- and energy -- both on and offline -- with people who truly care for me both on and offline.