The System is Down

The internet crashed at my house a couple hours ago. This was of particular devastation to my wife who wanted to keep watching her new favorite show on Netflix. Unfortunately, the internet crash did away with any plans we had for the night.

It's interesting to me how dependent we are on the internet these days. I've found that this generation is simultaneously the most connected and disconnected because of it. With the click of an app, I have access to information and stories of almost 2,000 people who have shared some part of my life with me. However, I also end up never actually talking to a good majority of them - I don't intentionally build relationships with them.

You see, it's so easy to take for granted the "friends" we have on Facebook when they're all right there on our screens. It's also easy to think that we know someone well just because we read their daily status updates. Don't get me wrong: I enjoy social networking and think it's awesome that we have the ability to connect with so many people in ways that were unimaginable before the Information Age! I just think we run the risk of losing authenticity and depth with anyone when we get so good at putting on the pretty Facebook face for everybody.

Maybe I'm way off base here as it relates to you. Maybe you're doing great at keeping solid relationships with all your old buddies from high school. Props to you if you are! But for me, it hasn't been that way.

To those of you who want to keep in touch, I'm sorry for not reaching out more. Shoot me a message some time. We should totally catch up, and not just by reading multiple years worth of status updates.

Remember, dear reader, no matter what the internet says, it takes more than a few mouse clicks for someone to truly be your friend.

"One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." - Proverbs 18:24

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