As I was figuring out the nuances of the new look and feel, I thought "what a strange way to reflect on my life." Seeing what I posted to FB in 2007 vs. 2011 and noticing things like how many friends I added was weird. Status updates from last year and my "likes" filled the screen. I say it's strange because we choose what we put on Facebook, it's not actually us. You, as my FB friend, aren't able to see how a situation actually was, only to hear my take on it.
The timeline even told me how many people wished me happy birthday in 2009 and every other year. What am I supposed to do with that information? I deleted it, but could have started adding meaning (remember the name of this blog) and comparing my life to the # of well-wishes I received.
The photos that FB has held onto over the years also cause me to stop and reflect - how accurately do these photos represent the way I'm actually living my life? This of course sent me on a bunny trail of thoughts including a scene from Just Married.
The scene that popped in my head was toward the end when Ashton Kutcher's character goes to his father for advice. His father provides this wisdom:
"Somedays your mother and I loved each other. Other days we had to work at it. You never see the hard days in the photo albums, but those are the days that get you from one happy snapshot to the next."
Our stories include non-photo worthy moments that challenge, teach, frustrate and provide movement to moments where saying "Cheese" is a pleasure :) I'm also reminded of the Biblical metaphor of being in a valley or on a mountaintop. I was reminded of how important valleys are recently - they are where the sheep are nourished and gain strength to climb the mountain. Not much actual work is done on the mountaintop. The view is important, but I'm in a valley now and I say - bring it on! I'm ready to work.
