Happy Valentine’s Day Facebook

We began our relationship over a decade ago...you cheerfully and routinely remind me of the anniversary of our first date. 

You also show me the old posts we did...some were kind of lame, but hey, we were just getting to know each other.

After ten years together, we’ve celebrated many birthdays, some sad times, and incredibly exciting days. Oh, the pictures we post seem to make it last.

However, we’ve had our relationship struggles....you once said it was “complicated”. No kidding. So, you encouraged me to add more friends and widen my circle. I learned that my friends share a journey; we don't always share a political party affiliation, faith, choices, or habits. No matter.

We can agree to root for different teams.

Then I read about how you let me see some posts and not others. Is that true, my sweet Facebook? Aren’t we close enough now, to trust that I can handle what I see, or maybe just scroll past if I disagree?

You know everything about me. You save it all in that mind-numbing cloud storage. You’ve watched how I was once willing to debate politics and proselytize my ideas. Not so much anymore.

I’d rather value my friends and family, than risk hurting them with words that can so easily be misunderstood. You see, Facebook, you think you know us, you think that having us all here makes us united. It doesn’t. 

Some of us wish we could go back to our early years together when it wasn’t about the White House, it was about what was happening in our house.

While it matters that we vote and are well-read in current events, you haven’t been the most faithful source of news, my loving Facebook.

I can already imagine what it’s going to be like to go through this election with you. Sigh.

As we celebrate another Valentine’s Day together, I would like to give you my pledge that I will be honorable with my words, thoughtful and kind with my posts, and leave the politicking to those who are on the frontline—which isn’t me.

And my buddy, Facebook? Will you be just as honorable? I know my friends won’t all be voting the same, but we do share this journey, and that’s something to love and celebrate—today and every day.

Photo credits: Alex Haney, NeONBRAND, Prateek Katyal

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