#52 Stories--Story #51

For some reason, I am not seeing the first two #52 stories posts I made more than a year ago.  Since I missed a few Sundays this month, I'd like to close out the month with a couple of "maverick topic" posts, to fill the gap.


In the October General Conference earlier this month, President Russell M. Nelson invited the sisters of our church to participate in a 10 social media fast--to leave the social media platforms and focus on what was real, what mattered, and see what we could learn from the experiment.

I did a 7 day fast earlier this summer, and found that I missed wishing people a happy birthday--as Facebook will remind me of birthdays.  I missed a nephew's last minute elopement/marriage in the park because they only announced it on Facebook. But I also missed the negativity--especially the politically centered stuff that makes me crazy. I missed time tuned out from my family, friends and loved ones and from reality. I found I had more patience--even with myself.  I had more time--without the fillers of Facebook or Instagram--because I wasn't filling my time, I was choosing to use it instead.

This time was a little different. I have been working on my own social media Kindness Campaign this year.  Each day, since the first of January, I have posted a photo or quote or thought that encourages kindness knowing that at the end of the year I would create a little book with these little images as a record of my own thoughts and efforts this year to show more kindness.  It is a daily reminder to me of what I want to be--and what I try to be each day.  The daily reminders have helped me, and I have had lovely friends mention that they enjoy the little uplifting posts too.

Being off IG and FB, I missed that daily reminder.  I pre-posted 10 quotes so I'd meet my 365 goal, but it didn't feel the same. when I do it daily, I find I spend the time to think of what quote I want to use--each day. The time spent thinking about it is as helpful to my quest as the posting of them. I missed that without the daily visit to IG.

I also missed the public support, sharing, encouraging, uplifting and ministering that can happen when good people reach out to help and comfort others who share their struggles and triumphs on Facebook or Instagram. 

A very dear friend lost her brother the night I began my social media fast.  I know she and her sister posted photos and feelings and fears those first few days as they tried to process and grapple with the new normal they would face with his little family. I missed being there "virtually" for her and for them. I still communicated via text or phone that week, but sometimes it is comforting to scroll through a news feed and reread the comments or prayers of those who love you and know you are suffering.

Overall, I think the "goodness" or "badness" of social media is how we use it. This year has taught me how powerful it can be for good, if that is how I choose to use it. And I DO! I choose to use it for good.  I want to share my love of Jesus Christ, His Gospel, and what joy it brings me with those I "virtually" associate with on the world wide web.  It might be just one small thing, but it is one more good thing that otherwise wouldn't be there if I didn't do it.

Joseph Smith once said "Happiness is the design and object of our existence and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and that path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness,and keeping the commandments of God." If I can spread a little of that kind of happiness and the path that leads to it, even on social media, I think those platforms rise a little bit from the degradation and wickedness they would otherwise inhabit. And even Jesus had to go where the sinners were to reach them.  And aren't we all sinners?