the magic of facebook

As I was giving my talk at Geneseo last evening I looked around the auditorium and realized something. A few times I had referenced FaceBook, and I began to see that.... this was a FaceBook generation. I had told them a few times that through "the magic of FaceBook" I was getting in touch with all of the old friends I had left behind.... and left behind for good fifteen years ago.

These kids.... they might not even understand what it would be like to leave people behind for fifteen years.

It's a different generation. My friend Tom calls them something like the technology generation... something like that.

I joined Face Book during a class last semester, because I was bored and figured it would be a great way to stay connected with my triathlon friends. And then something so strange started to happen. I began to see the names of people I went to high school with. The people I had left behind. Many were surprised I was even alive.

I never thought about their perception of me throughout these years. I began to get little notes in my inbox..... I have always wondered what happened to you.... so glad you are alive..... you finally look healthy....... you look well....... for fifteen years I have worried if you were okay.....

In my let me move on and leave all of them behind state, I truthfully didn't realize or comprehend that they cared about me. As sick as I was I believed everyone who tried to help me in my moments of illness were trying to hurt me, harm me, blow me in..... and I can now see as I stand on the other side of the wall of recovery..... that all of them just really cared.

It causes me great pain to know that many people worried about me for fifteen years. I went through great trouble to remain hidden. Jill found me, and she's one of the ones who I got so angry at for holding an intervention. Now she's 25 minutes form me and about to pop out her third child and I swear I will be at that doorstep as soon as she's ready for visitors!

My oldest friend in the world Erika.... she's lost 122 pounds. (She's beautiful at any weight but 122 pounds??????)

Holly.... she's a psychiatrist in New Orleans. She was in hurricane Katrina.

Karen.... she was my next door neighbor and babysitter. She taught me how to spell dictionary. She made her friend take her road test for her and when she drove us to Hickory Hill.... she actually did not have a license!

Roy..... he's a cardiologist in California, has been on General Hospital and on 24!

Tracey.... Jill's sister has been on Letterman.

Scott C.... he's a blossoming musician and traveling the country.

Tina..... when we were kids she always said she'd work for NASA and low and behold.... she IS.

Brady.... I knew he'd be an ARMY guy. He's a career military guy with war experience.

Lori..... stay home Mom. I knew she'd make a great one.

Gretchen..... has the oldest kid I think. She's in Michigan and renewing herself.

Justin..... he's a teacher at our High School.... imagine that!

Jamie..... A lawyer. I knew he'd be a lawyer.

Scott R...... just ran Disney!

Ethnea is on the coast of California, her sister Cathleen is a nurse and we have a small world connection!

Rose.... she's in California.... her sister Ellie is here in Rochester and we are having coffee on Friday.

He's not my high school friend but my brother -from -another -mother Ryan and I have a daily morning greeting about 5am. It seems to be our way of making sure we are up and training!!!!!!



The list goes on and on. Daily names appear that I haven't thought about in years. And I am not so afraid of that anymore. It's amazing what 15 years of space will do for you. I vowed I was done with that period of my life for good, but now as I look back on it, with a different perspective I am seeing it in a whole new light.

If only I had seen it then.

But then again, I would not be where I am right now, and I like where I am right now.

So I am welcoming the magic connecting powers of FaceBook. I am lucky in a strange way that I have had the experience of not seeing or contacting people for so long..... because now those bonds are sweeter, deeper, and truthful.