Welcome to the November 2015 Poem of the Month.
I used to find things like Facebook to a great way to reconnect with old friends; see pictures of their growing kids; see how much fun they were having in Hawaii. I’ve shared my share of photos of Alex and I at Sounders games; photos of Emma on her first day of school; marking the milestones and sharing with people who are more likely to care than not.
I’m sad to report that my relationship with social media has soured. With friends vigorously staking out claims on one end of the political spectrum or the other, and weighing in on significant social issues with vitriol that surprises me sometimes, I find that I miss the good old days of having a genuine conversation about our opinions and beliefs – you know, where you honestly listen to the each other’s position and really try to understand where they are coming from.
While I enjoy the positive things about social media – the pictures of your pets in Halloween costumes and those great selfies that make me wonder “Where ARE they???” – sometimes, saying nothing at all can be the most human and meaningful thing you can do. I think Emerson might agree with me on that one…
Ralph Waldo Emerson
(1803–1882)
Forbearance
Hast thou named all the birds without a gun?
Loved the wood-rose, and left it on its stalk?
At rich men’s tables eaten bread and pulse?
Unarmed, faced danger with a heart of trust?
And loved so well a high behavior,
In man or maid, that thou from speech refrained,
Nobility more nobly to repay?
O, be my friend, and teach me to be thine!
