What I Discovered During 11 Week Absence From Facebook

On 16 March, I posted a photo on my Facebook timeline taken from the window of a Virgin Boeing as it landed in Brisbane. It was of a wet and dreary tarmac. That was 11 weeks ago and I have not visited Facebook since.

It wasn’t a conscious decision to stay away, it just happened. One day became 2, became 3. The days became weeks and the weeks added up.

I had never seen myself as someone who constantly updates their timeline. If anything, my posts are predictable, repetitious, even boring and inevitably include a photo of a sunrise.

I see my world as unremarkable.

These last weeks, I have been contemplating leaving Facebook for good but before doing so, gave consideration to what I would be missing out on, and if I have missed anything these last 11 weeks.

During this time, I became a Grand Uncle for the second time and chances are, I have not seen any, or many photos of Penelope, or her Sister.

I have friends living overseas and now have an 11 week gap in what is happening in their world, their adventures and removations.

Another friend is exploring Kangaroo Island and I have only seen the occasional photo by way of a message.

Yet another has been heading to Darwin via the West Australian coast. He is “notorious” for taking great photographs and I have missed them all.

Another has just left for the Women’s World Cup (Soccer), others have run marathons in Boston and London, trekked the Camino and cycled the Dolomites, not to forget an epic bike ride from Land's End to John O'Groats.

We all have friends. All are important and in our ever busy and complex lives, we do not find or make time to call, e-mail, write or message as often as we might have done in the past. 

That’s not to say we care less, are less interested or desire to be less connected.

Facebook has facilitated the refreshing of friendships past. Work colleagues from an era that was far more carefree, pre children and where the biggest problem was having enough money left over each week to go out for a beer.

Facebook has allowed the finding of school friends and forming some effectively new, valuable and fulfilling friendships. There is something very special about getting to know again, people I last knew at age 18.

For all I know, during the last 11 weeks friends have become engaged, become grandparents, parents or suffered loss. New jobs have commenced, new adventures embarked upon and I am none the wiser.

I understand that Facebook can be toxic, biased, cruel, horrible and divisive but ultimately, we get to choose what we participate in and how we interact with the platform.

My 11 week Facebook sabbatical has allowed me to understand and newly appreciate the people in my life and in a very real way, these include Facebook Friends.

Besides, if I do return to Facebook, I will miss the inside action of the Women’s World Cup. Let the photos flow Geoff.