When Facebook is faceless…

I’m grasping for a little normalcy, which I think is funny because it’s tax season, and I don’t remember what normal looks like in tax season. I’ve been sick, which doesn’t happen often, certainly not to the level that I was this last few weeks. I’ve started my next two courses and have decided already that I may well be in over my head.

I decided today that I was going to take a little break from Facebook. Every time I logged in, I was inundated with posts about how stupid someone is for not agreeing with someone else’s position. On guns, abortion, Presidents, stem cell research, what basketball team is best, what Kardashian is prettier, whatever. People have lost the ability to recognize that each of us are different, and have different opinions, and that that’s ok. And frankly? People are mean about it, mostly because they’re hiding behind a computer screen.

And I’m over it.

I used to really enjoy logging in to Facebook – people shared a funny story, or a cute picture, or shared that they were getting engaged. Sometimes, people shared that they weren’t having a very good day, or that they had lost a loved one. I spent much of December asking for prayers and well-wishes for my own family as we lost my grandmother, and nearly lost my grandfather. We wished old friends  happy birthday, thanks to a friendly reminder in the corner. Even spirited debate was held in a friendly, conversational way.

Now? My feed is overflowing with negativity. And it’s crushing me.

And so I decided that was stupid. Why let something so silly leave me feeling so negative all the time? Why log in looking for something fun, light and joyful, and log off feeling angry and depressed?

So, for now, I’m done. I’ll be back, I’m confident of that. But not until I’m in a better place for it.

Do you have a Facebook? Have you ever felt like you just needed to walk away?