It is What You Make of It

We have all heard sayings that life is what you make of it; that we should control our situations and not let them control us. I have a simple example of how one's perception can change the meaning and importance of a situation or an opportunity.

Recently I was working at a client's office and one of the employees started ranting about Facebook.  He said things like, "Facebook is all about ego - me, me, me.  See what I am doing.  See what I think.  I am the most interesting person on earth.  Everything I say is important and must be seen.  I will never be on Facebook.  I am not that impressed with myself and it is a colossal time-waster." 

When I tried to tell him about how I use Facebook, he would not even listen.  He had a preconceived idea about a medium he has never used and he did not want me or anyone else to refute his image of Facebook.  What he refused to see is that Facebook, as with most other things in life, is what you make of it.  Yes, I do use Facebook to post personal communications about my life, but those types of posts are infrequent.  And, I definitely use Facebook to keep up with what my friends and family are doing and to share photos.  But, I also use Facebook for inspiration, for news, for community activities, for political and social activism, for appreciating art and architecture, for travel information and suggestions, to read blogs, and to meet people from all over the world.  

I belong to several Facebook groups and pages that exist only to post inspirational stories and sayings.  One of my favorite things to do first thing in the morning is to go on Facebook and read the first inspirational messages of the day.  What a great way to start the morning!

I also belong to several political pages and groups and I use their posts to keep up with what is happening in politics around the country and in the world.  Likewise, I belong to Facebook groups that involve political and social activism and I use them to also keep up with news and to become involved in activities, to sign petitions and to share my thoughts on various subjects.  

Some of my Facebook contacts are local business and organizations and businesses and organizations in my favorite town, Mount Dora and in my favorite city, Manhattan.  The news they post about activities, sales, drives and other happenings help me stay up-to-date with my community and with my two favorite places to visit and help me to plan activities with my family.  

I belong to some pages that just share beautiful things like art and architecture.  In fact, I just re-posted a picture of a Van Gogh painting this morning so all my contacts could share in the beauty of his painted sunflowers. I am connected with some travel pages and love seeing the photos of places all over the world and reading the travel blogs and comments.  

But, without a doubt, one of my favorite things about Facebook is that I can make friends with people all over the world.  I may never meet them in person, but I treasure our online friendships just the same.  Through Facebook, I have made friends with people in Canada, Saudi Arabia, France, Egypt, Australia, Great Britain, Italy, Malaysia, and other countries, as well as people in other states here in the U.S.  I have learned so much about other cultures and beliefs.  I have followed political upheavals in Egypt and Syria, offering support as best I can through social media.  My world is much larger and more colorful because of Facebook.  

Facebook is just an example of making something what you want it to be.  Your Facebook can be all about you or it can be more, much more.  The guy who was ranting about Facebook did not even want to try and think about it in a different way.  He had this idea of what it was and he did not want me or anyone else to prove him wrong.  Unfortunately, that means he misses out on the big world called Facebook.  

A friend that I met on Facebook recently sent me a message about her life.  Due to employment and financial situations, she and her immediate family moved from her home country to another one in her region of the world.  Life in her new location is much different and she has struggled with great unhappiness about the change.  In her previous home, her life revolved more around her family, extended and immediate, and her friends.  Having left many of them behind, she had to find a new focus.  It took awhile, but I was so glad to hear that she has found fulfillment and happiness in her work, has discovered and nurtured new passions and is exploring returning to school for an additional degree.  In spite of the hardships and sadness she faced in her new environment, she has found a way to make something good and worthwhile out of it.  She may never feel the same about her new country as she did her homeland, but she is adapting in a way that will allow her to find a level of contentment and fulfillment.  I enjoy following her experiences and have learned much about the cultures of both places through what she shares with me.  She is not only an example of "it is what you make of it", but also an example of what Facebook can be.  

I have softened my approach to Manifesting the Mount Dora for the same "it is what you make of it" reason.  I love my life, but I am hoping to create a different life.  I was focusing too much on what I want to create and not enough on what is right here before me.  Because I was looking ahead, I was getting frustrated with what had not changed and not appreciating all that is good about what has not changed.  I also am working on accepting that my Manifesting Mount Dora project is a work in progress and I have to appreciate the process.  Manifesting Mount Dora, the project and the end result, are what I make of them.