Last night I did something I haven’t done in a long time. I picked up the PHONE and called a dear friend. I didn’t text, Skype or post a message on Facebook or Twitter. I used the “old fashioned” way of communicating… and I realized very quickly how I have been sucked into the social media abyss.
After we got off the phone I sat in my recliner and scrolled mindlessly through Facebook posts. Occasionally I would “like” a photo or post a comment. As I did this I could feel the guilt start to consume me. I could see the pile of clothes on the couch, just waiting for me to “find time” to fold them and put them away. Yet, I continued to scroll through selfies, food pictures and now the latest trend of random videos of the “ALS ice challenge” that everyone is doing, including Oprah and Gayle. I have projects to write and things to accomplish, yet watching people dump buckets of ice water on their head is more important. Or is it?
Then I asked myself a very easy question: If I were to die tomorrow, was my time well spent? Was that video, or selfie or political rant really worth a minute of my life? The more I asked myself that question, the easier it was to answer.
I’m not ashamed to admit that I have become consumed with this immediate need to share. I LOVE seeing my friends adopt their precious new kids, and seeing photos of friends and family or reading posts about the latest happenings in life. However, finding that perfect balance is something we all try hard to achieve.
For me, it starts with the pile of clothes on the couch. 😉