What Are You Looking For?

I have a confession. Yeah, another one. I'm not a very secretive person, can you tell? I just have another rant to go off about. I guess it's a good thing that my rants become the most well-read of all the posts I have. Getting back to topic. My confession is: I love Facebook.

Most of my friends have this love/hate relationship with this social media site. Often they will take "Facebook fasts" and just unplug for a while. Good for you, doing what you think is best for you. I don't think I ever will, though. I find too many good things that make me happy. And I don't cut myself off from things that make me happy.

Facebook has become more than just a way to connect with others. It's almost become a surrogate news source, showing videos and articles from anyone on anything. One of the common reasons I hear people wanting to take a "Facebreak" is to get away from all the negativity and overwhelmingly despondent things they see online.

Politics, corruption, racism, abuse. All highly prevalent in today's society. I can't and won't deny that it's there. However, it's not what I want to see on my timeline. When I want to see what's going on, I look at actual news station's websites or a newspaper. So when it comes up on Facebook, I hide all similar posts. You know what's left? The things I actually want to see.

I see my friends doing happy things. Getting married, graduating, having children, adopting children, traveling far and wide, or enjoying a simple staycation. I see simple, happy moments in their lives, I see the awkward stories. I hear the songs that have made their heart soar. I see the jokes that make them laugh. I see their hopes, I see their dreams. I see the things that moved and inspired them. Sometimes I see cries for help and am able to jump in and lend a hand. I see my friends and the people I love.

Not only that, but I get to see people that I don't even know doing extraordinary and inspiring things. People chasing their dreams. People going out of their way to help another. People doing what they can to survive. Sharing, giving, and any other form of goodness you can imagine. Things that overall make me a better person for watching, reading, listening. There are so many kind hearts in this world. Just as much, if not more than the negativity that continues to spread. The things is- are you looking for it? Because you find what you are looking for.

Facebook is a simple matter of filters, but it totally applies to any area of life. You will find what you are looking for at work, at school, at home, at church... The list goes on. I have spent most of my life in the pursuit and understanding of being happy. What does it mean and how do we get it. Guess what. I found it.