Blammo

Facebook exploded two days ago.

I'd originally signed up because my daughter was using it kept sending me stuff about it. I signed up, garnered a friend list of about 9 people, most of whom were related to me. Small group, totally manageable. I also typically use Facebook on my iTouch, which means it doesn't have all the extra bells & whistles (farms? wth). Very low key, non spammy, a check-every-couple-days sort of Facebook.

I'm not really a networker and I'm not particularly social. One way of dealing with depression for me was to keep my world very small and under control. When I was a gamer-chick, I was in contact with hundreds of people but they were neatly compartmentalized and separated from my 'real' life. I didn't share personal details with everyone, and I've always been conscious about privacy on the internet. A handful of friends actually new my name and what state I lived in, but for the most part I was there to game and kept my personal life out of it.

So the other day an old friend popped up and sent a friend request. I'd been out of contact with her for quite awhile, but have always considered her a fixture in my life so I confirmed. Then -blammo- I received a bunch more request in one day. Apparently HER friend list was much bigger than mine and included a group set up for graduates of my high school. Suddenly names that I hadn't heard in 20+ years were popping up on my screen.

At first I must admit this caused me some anxiety.

But after tentatively touching base with a few of them it started to feel comfy. Though I don't see most of these people EVER, many of them have known me since kindergarten. And there's something about people who know you and whom you have known since childhood that makes them special. When we're children, we are our basic selves, and whatever you do in life some aspect of that kid you were lingers.

I suppose that's what facebook is about - that oddly reassuring feeling when someone reaches out and says 'omg found you!' We do like belonging, don't we?

Here I am. Shit has happened, life flows on, but I'm still that kid you met in first grade on the swings.