I Don't Wanna Grow Up

A little over two years ago, many of my friends, along with myself, joined the social networking site, Facebook. I’ve written on numerous occasions how I feel about the site and can never really put into words how much it’s literally changed who I am. I know there are many out there that appreciate it just as much. It’s allowed us to reacquaint ourselves with our youth and, to me, it’s been an incredible journey. The education I’ve gained from this journey is one that’s helped me in more ways than one could count.

Lately I’ve noticed a number of folks talking about how bored they are with the site. How they aren’t having fun with it any longer. I find it a bit humorous that the people they are talking to about this are the same people they would have never even spoken to if it weren’t for Facebook.

I was chatting with a friend, I would never be talking to if not for FB, about this very subject the other day and came up with this idea of what seems to be happening. I told her we were all like kids that had just moved onto the same block at the same time. We all, at the beginning, would go out and play everyday, with everyone. As is with most neighborhood kids, we soon found our own little group of friends that we would play with more than others. The problem, as I’m sure you all remember, is that eventually the wonder of it all would somehow disappear. The process would take time, almost unnoticeable, until eventually you lose touch and would only see each other on rare occasions.

It’s kind of funny the way things have worked out. If you think about it, it really does mirror our actual lives. You move away and go to college, get a job, get married and raise a family. In the process, you lose touch with most of the friends of your youth. It’s nothing personal, you just grow up.

Well, just as in my youth, I’m not sure I’m ready to grow up. I don’t want to lose touch with all my friends on the block. It’s meant way too much to me and I’m not sure I can afford the loss. I know I’ve depended on these cyber friendships more than most and many out there laugh at my addiction to the whole thing. Be that as it may, I’m not going anywhere. I’m not going away to college. I’m not getting married. I’m staying at home, living with my parents, as it were. I have no problem being thought of as “that guy” we all knew of back then.

I was at work a few weeks ago and a guy came through my checkout line. I’d never seen him before and when I said “Hi”, he responded with, “ I know you, you’re the funniest guy on Facebook”. It turns out he’s a friend of a friend and sees some of the stuff I post. It felt kind of cool, being almost famous like. I’ve met a number of people that have told me they knew me from the site. I like that, it’s a real good feeling and one I’m not willing to let go away. So, you guys that want to go away to college, go ahead. I’ll be right here if you want to come back and play a game of pick-up football in the street. Remember, two completions or two squares for a first down.