A New Bloom

I indicated that I would post on Facebook, perhaps once per year. I offered that tidbit right around New Year’s Day, 2021. I asked that people not post in reply or on my feed through the year, since I wouldn’t be checking it much, if at all.

Imagine my chagrin when I popped in there to 1) changed my photo and 2) check in on a writing group or two that seemingly don’t exist anywhere else … and found a litany of posts on my thread.

I guess y’all thought I was kidding.

I grew tired of the fakery and short-code life that runs rampant round here, so I left.

I left and worked like a team of sled dogs to improve my mind over the past year.

I enjoyed the outdoors (mostly from the back porch, but that’s still outside …).

I’ve grown my personal relationship and might one day show up with a different last name.

I’ve loved and fussed at my four-legged family members.

I continue to work on my emotional and physical health.

I’ve advanced my collection of refillable fountain pens and ink.

I’m doing some other things to get back into community action. We’re looking to move to new environs.

I did something I wanted to do for some time: I joined a social fellowship (photos forthcoming).

So, again, I implore any of you reading this post: find me elsewhere, not on Facebook. Visit my blog and send me a message from there (there is a Contact page after all), provide me your mailing address … I’ll write you a letter. I love pens, ink, and pages.

If you must find me online, follow my writings. I do post on Twitter for that. I’m also on LinkedIn. I have my professional site, R-Leadership, which I plan to build further this year, as God wills.

But for the love of God and all the apostles, don’t leave me ‘HBD’ (shudder) short-code on a Facebook timeline. Whatever you do, please please please! don’t send a private message, telling me you missed me because missing me would mean you checked my thread to see whether or what I might have posted and, finding last year’s ‘do not post here’ missive, would have sought other ways to find me.

If you’ve moved on and don’t count me in your circle, in your village, in your pack anymore, that’s cool too. Reason, season, lifetime after all. Please, don’t feel obligated to connect there or elsewhere if you’ve moved on and beyond me.

Last, and again for the love of God, all the apostles, and a truck-full of puppies, please please please! don’t just reach out because you need something and think I’ll offer it up, gratis. If no one else has said it, I offer this point with all the love in my heart: if there’s one thing social media has perpetuated, it’s a lack of decorum when it comes to connection and friendship. A friend is not someone who gets a call or message, only when the other person remembers they have a skill of some sort that might be helpful or useful right now, especially if said skill can be utilized at no cost.

Yeah, I wrote it, but I really do love you and hope you’ll feel the virtual hug I’m offering as you read those words.

I don’t mean it just for me. I mean it for anyone you encounter.

People mean more than what they can do. People are more than the moment you think of them.

I hope to hear from you. I hope you are living and loving. I hope you’ve gone outside and looked up at the beautiful sky. I hope you’ve remained safe and healthy. I hope you’ve grown in amazing ways.

Much love to you in ’22.