My sons are off to college, and evidently the best way for keeping in touch will be on FaceBook, since that’s where they post the lastest in what’s going on in their lives.
I have to admit I was initially intimidated when I discovered one son already had more than 200 “friends” in his network. And then more amazed that these were all people he had actually met and worked with, face-to-face, in school, concerts, chamber groups (he’s a music major), and even extended family from our summer vacation trips.
And now, I’ve actually been able to reconnect with colleagues from different career lifetimes on FaceBook, LinkedIn, and other online “water holes.” Of course none of this replaces actually seeing each other, but it has been creating more opportunities for catching up, reviving conversations that had been left dangling, and yes, even getting together more often with a broader range of folks.
So in the context of “it’s never too late to stop burning bridges,” I’m going to gingerly explore the world of social networking and practice some gratitude for the multitude of friends, family, colleagues and acquaintances who have opened some pathways for us and whose experience and insight we value. And hopefully share something of value in return.
It’s refreshing after several decades of work in community development (including participating in the transformation of several businesses and non-profits), to discover that the very concept of community and opportunities for enlivening the social fabric continue to evolve and blossom in unexpected ways.
