• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Dear Sabrina

  • Family
  • Happiness
  • Life in Sweden
  • Beauty
  • Thinking
  • Miscellany
  • About
    • Now
You are here: Home / Miscellany / In Praise of Social Media

In Praise of Social Media

November 7, 2016 By Jodi

Mac laptop and iPhones on desk

It's so popular today to bash social media for what seems like all the ills of society, especially for creating distance between people by adding an electronic intermediary where there once may have been personal contact. Of course there is some truth in this, though I've always felt that the good or ills of social media (and electronic devices) lies in the beholder. Social media can be an excellent tool when used wisely, if not sparingly.

When my dad died nearly four weeks ago, I spent the week after his death thousands of miles and on ocean away from my family and my childhood home. The distance was, and felt, enormous. From the moment I posted an announcement on Facebook, messages of all kinds, through all sorts of social and electronic media, began pouring in.

Facebook post condolences

A local friend here in Sweden saw the post, messaged me, and had brought a small, caring gift within hours. Hundreds of friends, from people I hadn't seen in decades, to people who never met my father, to my closest friends from every stage of life, sent notes of condolence including poems, songs, memories, and prayers.

And the surprising thing? It was truly consoling. Hearing from people who cared about me and cared about my father made me feel so much less alone despite the great distance between me and my family. I loved reading memories of my father, and I loved getting messages from people I hadn't talked to since I was ten. It really did help, every day, to read and reread the messages. It helped me to feel less alone in my loss, and less distant from everyone I loved.

So let's go on trying to live our lives outside of our devices and our social networks, but let's also remember that they can indeed be incredibly powerful tools of connection when wielded with warmth and wisdom.

Why "happiness" isn't a big enough word.

Photo by Parker Byrd.

Share this:

  • Email
  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Related

Filed Under: Miscellany Tagged With: condolences, devices, facebook, praise, social media

Previous Post: « Spending 1-on-1 Time With Kids
Next Post: Remembering My Dad »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tim

    November 7, 2016 at 7:01 pm

    Thanks for this! This is the topic I'm researching at Stockholm University, more or less. Online support can definitely help, at least for some.

    Reply
    • Jodi

      November 8, 2016 at 10:11 am

      Tim, I'm curious to learn more about your research. I remember your previous comment about bereavement on one of my happiness posts. Are you looking specifically at social media, or are you focusing more on things like focused support groups?

      Reply
      • Tim

        November 8, 2016 at 1:05 pm

        I work with a team of colleagues interested in the existential side of digital media, and we study all sorts of different things. My research includes religion, the afterlife, gender and emotion, and my colleagues also study social media, online memorials and support groups. If you'd like to know more, there's a project website here: et.ims.su.se. We also run a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DIGMEX/

        Reply
        • Jodi

          November 8, 2016 at 2:42 pm

          I just looked at the FB page -- fascinating! Some really interesting links and thoughts there. Thanks for sharing this.

          Reply
  2. Beth

    November 8, 2016 at 1:15 am

    Jodi,
    I love your writing and reading this made me feel good. So thank you for sharing.
    You have grown into a remarkable woman. I am so proud of you.

    Take care.

    Love - Beth

    Reply
    • Jodi

      November 8, 2016 at 10:08 am

      Thanks, Beth. =)

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

About Jodi

I just repatriated from Sweden to the US with my British husband and three young kids. I started this site while living in Sweden to build the conversations and community we've had with loved ones around the world, and to create a space to share thoughts about life, beauty, motherhood, and everything else. read more →

Connect & Follow

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Receive the weekly newsletter

* indicates required
/ ( mm / dd )

Recent Posts

Are You a Radical Mother?

September 22, 2016 By Jodi 1 Comment

Jodi-radical-mother-campaign

While being a mother is generally a wonderful thing (minus the sleeplessness, the poop, the tantrums, the food on the floor/walls/ceiling/radiator), sometimes being a mother-among-mothers can be a rough experience. Something about parenting, particularly in the US, frequently leads to too much comparison and competition, and often what results is an increasing sense of isolation. Experts--and even pediatricians...

Read More

Happiness Project: Month 4—Community and Tradition

December 5, 2016 By Jodi 1 Comment

Christmas wreath on blue door

I'm plugging away with my happiness project despite the great lethargy I feel now at the beginning of my third trimester. I'm growing quite uncomfortable, and at the same time unsure of how I'm going to make it through the next three months. The darkness of winter is creeping in (sunrise: 8:25; sunset: 2:51) and our Vitamin D...

Read More

Using My Superpower: Donating Breastmilk

March 29, 2017 By Jodi Leave a Comment

Breastfeeding baby August as an infant

The closest thing I have to a superpower is lactating. Making food that another human can eat—and thrive on—from my own flesh (well, technically my blood) has always been and always will be absolutely miraculous to me. And like any true superpower, I can use it for the highest good: saving lives.

The Underachieving Mom's 2016 Holiday Gift Guide for Tiny Human Boys

December 8, 2016 By Jodi Leave a Comment

NASA JPL Grand Tour space poster

This is my first-ever attempt at a gift guide, and I'll be honest: it's pretty basic. There are a couple reasons for this: 1) you know your kid better than I do, so you probably know what s/he likes better than I do, so who am I to give advice?; and 2) listing a bunch of stuff...

Read More

Categories

  • Beauty
  • Family
  • Happiness
  • Life in Sweden
  • Miscellany
  • Thinking

Follow me on Bloglovin'

Follow

Instagram

Footer

About Dear Sabrina

Welcome! Dear Sabrina is a lifestyle blog for the thinking woman (and man, if men read lifestyle blogs). I hope that visiting this site gives you something to think about, makes you laugh, or shows you something new. If you want to further connect, find me on one of networks below or send an email.
Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think. More about me…

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Copyright © 2023 · Jodi Elliott

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.