Facebook: A Family Affair?

Until a few weeks ago, I was not a huge fan of Facebook. It wasn't so much the site itself as my general frustration with social networking. The few attempts that I had made at connecting with new and familiar "friends" in Cyberspace felt not only shallow but also unsatisfying. I concluded that social networking was not for me.

Not long ago, as I prepared to take extended leave from my job for personal reasons, an associate suggested that I give Facebook another try. Since I am one who prides myself on keeping an open mind, I decided to give it a shot and set up a new account. Imagine my surprise when Facebook instantly recommended a "friend" to me based on my e-mail contacts: My mother! "When did Mom get on Facebook?" I asked myself. "Why didn't she tell me?"

I had to laugh when I visited Mom's profile page, checked out her Facebook friends and discovered the name of my longtime "BFF" Dawn, from high school. "Okay, this is creepy," I thought. "Not only is my mother on Facebook, but she's been keeping in touch with my best friend on this site! And no one told me!!!" I would later find out that Mom didn't tell me simply because I had been so cynical about social networking. She was thrilled to finally add me as a friend.

As for my BFF Dawn, she has two kids - one of whom is in high school and the other, in college - among her many Facebook friends. They post messages on each other's Facebook walls whenever the mood hits. Since Dawn's college-aged son lives in another state, Facebook has provided a fun and engaging way for the two of them to stay in touch across the miles. They also have several other family members that they keep up with via Facebook.

As I began to network and reconnect with old friends and acquaintances, I concluded that for many, Facebook truly is a family affair. There are mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, sisters, brothers, aunts and uncles all keeping in touch with loved ones via "FB". One can tell from the vast array of family photos uploaded to profile pages that Facebook is not replacing the depth or quality of family interactions; for many, it is simply enhancing these interactions by providing another mode of communication.

As soon as I became more familiar with how Facebook works, I told my dad. Interestingly enough, he did not know about Mom's account until I mentioned it, but he's a pretty secure guy so he took the news in stride! A musician, he decided to set up his own account for networking purposes and in less than 24 hours, he had almost 200 friends - including my mother and I. He was amazed by how many fellow musicians were on Facebook. As his friendship requests were instantly accepted, he blurted out, "What's wrong with these people? Do they not have a life?" I let out a chuckle and responded, "They're here on Facebook - just like us!" We both erupted into laughter.

I must admit that I have enjoyed reconnecting with certain individuals and learning more about their families on Facebook. Skeptics may continue to find fault with social networking sites, which I can certainly understand since I was in the same boat not long ago. But based on my initial observations and Facebook experiences, I am convinced that Facebook is indeed becoming part of a new trend for families that want to stay close and are willing to adapt to the changing times. And I've also surmised that staying connected to loved ones via Facebook is not an indication that one does not have a life, but rather that one is open to new and unexpected pleasures that life has to offer.