Real Life

Having just finished a big 3-day birthday weekend and having arrived at the ripe young age of 55, today I find myself preparing for yet another adventure. Tomorrow morning I will set sail for North Carolina all by my lonesome to visit friends and enjoy some serious time away from Florida. Now don't get me wrong- I have an amazing family and I love them very much. I have great friends (thanks for the cupcakes, Jen!) scattered all over the Sunshine State. But NC is home, and I am very excited to spend a few days there just reconnecting.

For much of the past 5 years many of my friendships have been nurtured, rekindled and jump-started through the use of technology. This blog, my Twitter account, Marilyn's Facebook and the ability to text with old friends have been a gift from God. There is little doubt in my mind that there have been times when these tools have been the life jacket that kept me afloat in hard times and tough situations. Yesterday's many, many birthday greetings on FB and Twitter are an easy example of the positive power of social media in my life. But nothing beats the power of human contact- and starting tomorrow, I am going to get 5 days of reuniting with people I care about very much, many of whom I haven't seen in a very long time. This computer has been a a blessing- but there is nothing better that real life.

So for the next week there will be an interweb "brownout" in my life. Don't look for any posts here, and there will be very few Twitter updates either. I'm going to be immersed in reality. There will be real hugs, real laughter, great memories and quite possibly a tear or two. The downside to reality is that, as the movie once suggested, sometimes reality bites. But the risk is sooooo worth the reward! So have a great week, miss me while I'm gone, and get ready for some great stories starting one week from today when I return. Technology, family, friends and most importantly the grace of God have kept me afloat for a long time. Now it's time to dive in and do some swimming. Peace, my friends!

Because of Jesus,