In this day, where everyone can keep up with everyone, even on a more-often-than daily basis, we share more than just information with others--we share our lives.
And it is when someone we know dies that people in my generation can practically immediately glimpse the connections and impact that one person had on so many others. Facebook becomes a collective ground for tributes, memories and yes, the sharing of bad news. Twitter, in some ways, gathers greater breadth of mourners who trend the topic of this loss. In ways that many of our parents do not understand still, we can connect and share our feelings during the happiest moments of our lives, as well as the saddest.
Tonight, when I learned that a former high school classmate died, I did what people around my age do: I went on Facebook to see who else had heard. I got a few messages, and then saw the posts filing up my newsfeed. A memorial began on the man's Facebook page. Calls for and promises of prayers for his family and friends have sprouted like wildflowers. Even if we haven't talked to some people in a long time, we connect again right here, online.
There are no different feelings. Everything is still very real. But perhaps we understand that we are not in this life alone and we are not forgotten. We will still come together outside of social media. A hug is still the best support we can give another. It is impossible to get a grasp of the entire situation, but we can see that there are many like us, who struggle and mourn.
This look at things isn't meant to demean the loss of my classmate in any way. I hope it allows us to see how much we do share with one another, and that we have so much to live for, and so many people who care about us. I hadn't thought about it until now, but social media is just the newest avenue for us to show love...and there is plenty of it tonight.
Rest in peace, Steve.
