In My Life....

"There are places I remember

All my life, though some have changed

Some forever not for better

Some have gone and some remain

All these places had their moments

With lovers and friends I still can recall

Some are dead and some are living

In my life I've loved them all..."

~The Beatles

That song runs through my head nearly every day lately, thanks to Facebook. Come on, I know you've heard about it. You probably have your own account just like me, and get a thrill to see an add request from a long lost friend. You giggle at the silly messages and memories people leave on your wall, and share your likes, dislikes, links and little snippets into your life for all your 'friends' to see. You have people on your list who you poke relentlessly, those you poke occasionally and others you don't poke at all. Yup, that's Facebook.

You look up old friends and send them messages. Some with a little trepidation, others freely and excitedly. Some to whom you send a message will reply, others won't reply at all. And although you may feel slightly snubbed, it's okay. You remind yourself, "This isn't high school anymore. People change, and I'm okay with that."

I have had my share of random pokes and messages that have made me go, "Hmm..." and wonder why they poked or messaged me. Others have sent shivers down my spine. Those are the ones from those people you lose contact with, one way or another, and always wonder about but never seem to cross paths with. Then suddenly, you see their name on your Facebook homepage, and they have poked you! Hooray!

It's fun! Admit it. If you're not "hooked" on Facebook already, you will be. And if you're lucky enough not to have an addictive personality causing you to check your Facebook at least once a day, well then my hat is off to you! I love to make my daily check in and see what has occurred since I last peeked. I love browsing my friend's pages, looking at their photographs and reading their notes. It's nice to be able to reconnect with some, and stay connected with others.

By the same token, Facebook makes me kind of 'sad'. For me it's felt a bit like an episode of, "This Is Your Life!". While it's been great to connect with so many "lost" friends, you wonder what will happen when the fad is over. Right now we are just familiar faces and names who type words on a screen with promises to get together, keep in touch more, and "hang out one of these days". We hope that these promises will come true, but will they? Everyone seems so busy in their lives that they talk a lot about it, but don't act often enough. And eventually the Facebook fad will pass, we will move on once again and perhaps reconnect another 10 years down the road.

Regardless of what happens to this "fad" called Facebook, I will always recall this small moment in time, where I reconnected with long lost friends, fondly. It's another chapter in my life. Another moment in time to remember people, places and things from the past. A time to examine who I was, who I am and who I hope to be.

"But of all these friends and lovers there is no one compares with you

And these memories lose their meaning

When I think of love as something new

Though I know I'll never lose affection

For people and things that went before

I know I'll often stop and think about them

In my life I love you more."