Keeping track of our kids as they grow older and leave home is a challenge. I can remember when two cans on a string was pretty cool. I also remember those entertaining party lines. The day our family got our own phone line that was a bonus day. I am still bitter against that nosey neighbor lady who continually listened in as I talked to girls. Maybe, the party line back then was the equivalent of today’s reality TV.
I so digress where was I? Oh, yes, my kids. They talk about Facebook this and Facebook that. It sounds really quite interesting. I thought to myself hmmm…maybe I could get Facebook. I could keep up with what is going on in my kids lives, check in see who is dating who, if they are thinking about visiting old dad or maybe I would find out if one of them is sick and needs me just one more time. That probably won’t happen they are all so gosh darn capable.
Can I step off the trail for just a moment? There is one thing the infant adults do in my life that really bugs me. They will sit each with their lap tops in the same room Facebooking each other laughing and giggling, all the time while I am in the room. I have no idea what is being laughed about. It is like being in a room with two people who are speaking a foreign language and you know they are talking and laughing at you. Seems rude!
Back to the Facebook conundrum should I or should I not get a Facebook account? I brought it up the other day to my daughter – okay maybe it was a year or so ago. “Daughter what do you think about your dad getting a Facebook account? We could Facebook each other.” Nothing but silence for several seconds, she just stared at me. “Dad… that would be just creepy. Facebook is for young people it is not for people over 30.” Her body does like a horrifying shiver thing. “Definitely not! that would be way to weird and really creepy.”
Not ready to give up I decided to try a new angle “Well what if I just got an account and only visited your site, read what is going on in your life. You know keep connected. I wouldn’t have to write anything I understand you wouldn’t want your friends reading our stuff.”
“First off Dad, you would have to request to be my friend to see my Facebook page and I simply would not accept you as a friend.”
Did I really hear that right? Block me? I am her dad. I held her until she stopped crying after those bad dreams, skinned knees, hurt feelings, and endless other hurts. Block me? D’OH!
Someone said something like this: Embrace the season of life you are in. It is a waste of effort to try to reach backward and it is fruitless to try to reach forward. Each season has its own beauty and value. Once it is gone you cannot get it back. The season of life you are now in has plenty to fill your life with wonder, excitement, and opportunity. I have given up on the idea of having my own Facebook account. But I mean to ask my kids if they going to close their Facebook accounts on their 30th birthday? Maybe then I will stop being excluded.
2 comments:
Great post! Both funny and sad. I love the part about the horrible shiver and your plan for their 30th birthdays. Ha ha!
Since your post a lot of elderly have found their way to facebook. I was one of the lucky parents who thought their old mom was cool to be posting there and was gladly befriended by them. We now have our extended family using it and receive updates on our cells.
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