It is seven in the evening. The sun has not yet set. The moon is already high. Here he is seen through the lilacs that are starting to leaf. So much spring. Today was a warm sunny day, sandwiched between periods of grayness and rain, so there ought to be more sprouts visible this weekend.
I worked this afternoon. This morning there was an odd rant from a friend on Facebook, to which I replied in a smart ass kind of way -- who put a bug up you ___ -- I wrote. I know this person pretty well. Love her kids. Am on 'kissing' terms with her husband. AND then she really took off on me. Didn't quite get that. Maybe she was having a bad day and I just got in the way. Maybe she took my comment as a criticism -- it wasn't. Maybe she doesn't like me.
There were several responses I might have made. The first one that came to mind was to call her. I was at work and didn't have her number, so that was out. The next thing was to UNfriend her -- how immature. And what would that solve anyway? Took me a very long time to get past the UNfriending option. And then I decided that I would just eliminate my reply and let her nasty response just hang out there. Let her make whatever next move she needed to make.
Facebook is a wonderful social media. I love it because I can be in contact with my grandkids and Bill's grandkids and my nieces, all of whom I love. I have made some wonderful connections. Sometimes I even 'chat' with my son, Jeff. Yes, Facebook does have an important role for us.
On the other hand, words are dangerous. If they are misconstrued, misunderstood, misheard, misanything, it is a disaster. We need to be aware that people respond from the emotion from which they are at the moment. They might not be in the same place that we are when we place a message. Walk softly. Don't be rash. Let things slide. And watch the moon as seen between the leafing branches of the lilacs. This, after all, is where God resides.
