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A Facebook Sabbatical

What would life be without a love hate relationship that we could not live with or without?
My question actually being, what would life be without Facebook?
After much deliberation I could finally persuade myself to experiment with the deactivation function on Facebook, and with a simple click I strangely and unexpectedly felt a calming sense of freedom come over me. How liberating it felt to be free of this addictive,habitual social network!  Feeling a sense of freedom after deactivating Facebook may seem a little ridiculous, but after being in denial for a while about this "addiction", that was somewhere in between what chocolate is now and cigarettes once were to me, I knew I needed to take a little time out. Checking Facebook first thing in the morning was not my idea of freedom or self liberation. A couple of months into my sabbatical and the first thing I am checking is if the sun has risen, I am reading more and filled with inspiration to write again and dust off my camera. Peeks outside the window to watch the hadidas poop on my walls has now become a daily ritual. Pure bliss I tell you! I had been irritated with the impersonal culture it had become, boring quotes, self absorption, extreme vanity and expectations of having to say something or having to say the "right" thing, while always wondering if I myself was being genuine or superficial. But, after having been gone for a while, I realized that I was beginning to feel a sense of longing. A longing to get in touch, easily, with my dearest friends and family, especially those living abroad, a longing to share a picture or two and I once again had a longing to be a part of this social networking silliness!   What was to be done...? The answer? Balance, taking Facebook with a pinch of salt, objectivity and NOT checking Facebook first thing in the morning.   Note to self... Remember that Facebook is just another silly, yet worthwhile, app on your device that keeps you up to date, a little informed and in touch with your dearest and not so nearest.
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