FACEBOOK...It's like Therapy! | Redlands, Photographer,

Today is one of those days that way heavy on my heart.  It comes around once a year and I know it's coming, I try to prepare for it, but when it arrives, sadness hits.  You see, today would've been my mom's birthday.  Her 80th to be exact.  But 4 years ago she passed away after 7 years of battling aneurysms.  She died on a Friday, after being in the hospital for just over 5 days.  It was quite an emotional week of saying goodbyes, prayers, tears, reminiscing, sometimes a little laughter, more tears, and more tears.  That was April 4, 2008 that she passed.  One month shy of her 76th birthday.

Of course, the first thing I think of when I wake up this morning was my mom.  So many thoughts and memories rush through my mind.  As I check my emails, I decide to post my thought of her on the beloved social media network, Facebook.  The ULTIMATE social network! I try and FB often, but there are some days when I don't.  But I have to admit, I enjoy reading what friends are doing or what they have on their minds.  As the morning goes on, I am getting FB notifications on my phone.  People are "Liking" my post about my mom.  Which, in turn, means they sympathize with me and how I'm feeling (at least that's what I'm guessing).  And as I start scrolling through all the people that have chosen to click the "Like" button, I am realizing that most, maybe even all, the people have had a loss in their life like I have.  I see people that I know have lost a parent, a grandparent, a sibling, or maybe even a best friend.  Without knowing the details of all of their pain, I know that they know what I am feeling.  They know that it hurts...that it SUCKS, that this special person is gone.  All we have left are memories, PICTURES, videos, handwritten letters...and we cherish these.

All of a sudden, I don't feel so alone.  I realize these 25+ people have gone through the same thing as me.  That they have buried a loved one, grieved, been angry, been alone.  And you know what...it's comforting.  It's comforting to know I'm not alone...NONE of us are.  I didn't need to call all of those people to know they were thinking of me, and probably thinking of the loved one they lost.  It was right there on Facebook.  A simple "click" showed me that I am not alone.  For this reason, I say Facebook is therapy.  Sometimes all it takes is to know that one of your friends feels the same way as you do.  In turn, it's nice to share your happiness, too.  If I post something exciting on FB, I love to see the 'Like' button has been clicked for that, too.  And I also click "Like" for other people to let them know I'm thinking of them, or that I share in their excitement, too.

Thank you FB for giving me the opportunity to have a support system on this international highway of social media.

Carmen J. Poma

May 3, 1932 - April 4, 2008