There have been so many thoughts swirling as I thought about what to write for my blog this month. The subject matter that I could write on as a DCE right now is absolutely endless. I decided I wanted to take a moment to talk about social media and what may look like silence.
Since I got Facebook in 9th grade I have been very particular about what I post, though when my memories come up on Facebook I sometimes cringe at them. I have always been very particular about it because I was taught that once you put it out there, it’s there forever and I have always been a believer that some conversations are just better had face to face.
Anyone who has known me for any amount of time knows how deeply I love people right off the bat and how deeply I feel with them and that also informs the way I post.
That brings me to today. There is a whole lot going on and I have wrestled deeply with what do I or do not post. What does it say to my students? What does it say to my congregation? How informed am I to handle any potential back lash?
I haven’t posted much because ultimately, I’m having the conversations off line. I’m trying to listen, to ask questions, to take myself out of my bubble.
The hardest part for me is that, I’d love to say “Let’s have some coffee, a beer, or go to dinner and have these conversations” but am prevented from face to face because of the virus or distance.
In having conversations I am a part of change. My prayer is that change is positive change. That it will be change that breaks old chains and values people that face hardship in any form, personally or professionally. So, I have the conversations in the next best ways that I can, different to each person, but still engage.
I want to offer encouragement to those of you who might be struggling with social media. If you aren’t posting but engaging in conversation, you are still acting! If you are using social media as a place to have conversation and disseminate information, you are acting! This is hard, so please give yourself grace. Give yourself space to recognize when you have hit emotional or informational overload and step back. Once you have gathered yourself, step back in, I know it’s easy to want to shut down but step back into the fray.
God calls us to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with Him and others. My prayer is that we lean into these ideas and the hard conversations even if no one sees it on social media!
