Happy Birthday to me...
Some more birthday! It began with a board meeting in Florence, AL hearing about a brother in Pakistan who has baptized over 50,000 people. From there I left about 1ish to drive back to Spring Hill (3:00), made a quick Saturday visit and then packed. Left about 4ish to head to Cool Springs and was blessed to emcee the benefit dinner there for Mount Dora Children’s home and Bible School. I left there about 7:30 and drove to Barrackville, WV. Arrived around 5:00am to begin the meeting here. It was a, well, unusual birthday to say the least.
Technology has done some interesting things and I’d like your advice on something. Facebook (launched in 2004 and today has over 750 million users) has a “birthday reminder” bar. I’m not sure if it’s good or bad that people can post so easily. It is a tad frustrating to me for several reasons:
1. I may go a few days without even opening FB and then may go weeks without taking the time to wish those on the list a happy birthday. I think start feeling guilty. It has nothing to do with loving one and not the other. It leads to the next thought.
2. Is it a lazy way to wish a happy birthday? The person’s name maybe goes through my mind for a few seconds. I type a few words, most only type two “happy birthday” and then what? Forgotten? No, dialing of a phone, no selecting a card. Not even really any thought in what was said. Of the 500 or so birthday wishes I got over 400 of them were three words or less. That’s not said in lack of appreciation but a self-indictment of how shallow I feel taking this easy way out.
3. Then there’s the other side: People who I would have never even known when their birthday was I get to wish them a happy day. For a moment their impact on me as a person is brought to mind. And that is nice.
4. But here’s the dilemma what do I do with all those birthday wishes? The first one came from Allen Highers about 5 days before “my day” this year. When it arrived I determined I was going to write each person and say something back to them. A “thank you” how are you, or some remembrance, or “inside our friendship” comment. I got twenty or thirty more in the the next three days - but then came the onslaught! I’ve got my phone set up to notify me when someone post something on my “wall.” Sitting in the board meeting, phone on mute, it kept dinging - “Katie Romine, Marie Hargett and 264 other people posted on your wall.” Seconds later: “Marie Hargett, Larry Davenport and 265 other people posted on your wall...” So, what do I do? Just move on? Take the time to say something back to each of them? Acknowledge them by just clicking “like”? There is no standard on all of this...is there? And, should I respond if they said more than just the perfunctory "HB"? What if they were creative? What if they referenced something? How much should they say before I feel I should respond?
None of this is said in anyway to complain, I'm so very appreciative of each wish. It’s just a little odd and I’m not sure: What is proper etiquette in all of this?
For now, just “thank you,” I feel loved.