August 11, 2016 - Daily Notes, From the Editor

I surrender.

I did that thing yesterday where you post your perspective related to politics on your personal Facebook page. Have you ever done that? Holy moly. Why did I do that? Is "ugh" a real word? Did I really need to open my mental and heart spaces up to the sort of rants that can result? I keep letting out these huge sighs.

Social media can be difficult to navigate with clarity.

I love the connection, sharing of ideas and access to new information. It feels sweet to post photographs of my delightful niece as she grows. It feels encouraging to hear feedback when I share my writing. It feels gratifying to watch Lucia's readership grow. It feels rewarding to give "likes" away to others, tiny dopamine gifts I get to scatter like stars in the summer sky.

But it is also a recipe for overwhelm, wasted time, squandered attention and misdirected energy. If I am not careful (and even when I am) it becomes a black hole that drains creativity faster than anything else I've encountered.

This morning I was nervous about logging back on. What new ugly or uncomfortable thing might be sitting there waiting for me? How would I respond? How much does it matter to me? Why? I could feel my precious energy being sucked into the vortex before even turning on the machine.  

One of my dear friends, who I met years ago when I lived in Washington, D.C., is Buddhist and a former journalist. He inspires me regularly by walking the line on social media--sharing his feelings, personal history, and informed perspective on (often difficult) topics and current events. The words he chooses to share are remarkably loving, kind, curious and courteous, even when others' are not. His principles and boundaries are clear.

His post was the first thing I saw this morning. He seemed to be sharing his own struggle with the same thing I am questioning...how on earth to navigate social media during this time of incredible change and maintain self-respect, compassion, kindness, clarity, and grace. He shared these words from a 2,500 year old teacher known as the Buddha:

We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world.
Speak or act with an impure mind, 
And trouble will follow you
As the wheel follows the ox that draws the cart.

We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world.
Speak or act with a pure mind, 
And happiness will follow you
As your shadow, unbreakable.

I decided I need a clarity break. My thoughts are engulfed and flooded with what I find on social media as I scroll, scroll, scroll. "Pure mind" sounds like a shining body of water I can see glinting on the horizon, and I am the thirsty nomad who has managed to wander only halfway through August. It's not too late for a social media summer vacation.

The things I want to write, read, create and do for Lucia are here in front of my nose, in living color. I don't need to be in the matrix to do them. August is waiting just out my front door. Creativity is calling, and her voice sounds sweet. 

See you in September, Facebook.

I surrender.

xo
laura