Mhairi Forrest

I’ve discovered Facebook. I realize that’s like saying, I’ve discovered Disneyland…me and a bazillion other people. I had several friends talk to me about joining over the past few months, but I demurred, proud of being a Luddite. I’ve always been wary of technology. I still read the newspaper (I LIKE old news) and there was a time when I didn’t own a telephone, or a tv and thought that was nirvana. Now, losing my cell phone is my idea of hell.

Well, pride comes before a fall and I repent. I’ve finally seen the lighbulb. I’m confessing publicly, I REALLY like technology and don’t care if it makes me one of the masses. The internet is cool, as long as I delete the messages in my inbox from Eastern European women with unusual skills and very bad grammar.

And then there’s Facebook. I joined about a month ago, but did nothing with it. My sole purpose was to keep an eye on my soon to be teenage son (who still hasn’t “friended” me for some reason). Big Mama is watching. Three days ago, an old friend from high school “friended” me – my first Friend. This led to another high school friend I thought was living in a different state; turns out we’ve been attending the same church for the past year. If it hadn’t been for technology, who knows how long we would’ve passed each other at the water fountain. We had a reunion this morning. First time we’ve seen each other in about 25 years and she’s just as lovely as she was back then. It was so much fun!!! So now I have a new Friend who’s really an old friend.

The cool thing is, all of the people I’m in contact with on Facebook, have been treasures in my life at one point or another. Finding them, or having them find me, has been like opening Christmas presents I wasn’t expecting. That’s the beauty of this new technology, new to me anyway, the ease with which we can stay connected. And now I also have a new outlet for procrastinating when it’s time to write, because I really need technological assistance with that!