Feed me Facebook! Feed me! FEED ME NOW!
By Beach T. Weston
Just Beachie
Scrolling through my feed, I was dismayed to see an unexpected announcement from my friend:
“I’m deeply concerned,” she wrote, “with personal privacy on social media and I might close my Facebook account.”
Of course, her Facebook community responded:
“What!? No…we love you and your posts…please don’t leave us!”
My friend, whom I shall call Merriam, is a nice person—she doesn’t post mean videos or comments—and to realize such a positive person was experiencing a difficult choice was a shocking moment for many of us who look forward to her uplifting thoughts.
Merriam’s dilemma prompted me to ponder: What emotional-buttons were pushed to make Merriam and many others feel insecure about their presence on social media?
The answer was clear—fear was the culprit. Whether imposed or imaged…fear was the driving force behind Merriam’s reasoning to leave Facebook.
Fear can be a scary word—it’s a dingy place you don’t want to visit like in a movie when the protagonist wanders into a dark cellar and finds a mysterious box with an alien creature trying to claw its way out. I scare myself if I think about that scenario. My fans and friends know I’d much rather wander through a garden of butterflies on a sunny afternoon. I feel better just thinking about the second scenario. Therefore, I’m not going to make this column about fear, instead, my message is the opposite of fear. However, what is the opposite of fear?
Calm? Peace? Trust?
The people who thrive on causing fear are what many of us label as Crazy Makers—these people don’t like the words: calm, peace and trust. They prefer words like distrust, distress, agitation—and at one time or another, we have all been sucked into their disturbing mayhem. These Crazy Makers have a massive appetite for control—their mission is to upset our calm, set our emotions afire, which inevitably cause bad decisions to be made.
When I think of Crazy Makers, the first picture that comes to mind is the “Mean Green Mother Plant from Outer Space”, Audrey II, from Little Shop Of Horrors. Audrey II’s owner, Seymour, was a good guy with good intentions, and lovingly fed the little plant that quickly grew into a monster plant and demanded Seymour feed him more and more food.
“Feed me Seymour! Feed me! FEED ME NOW!”
But no matter how much Seymour fed Audrey II, the carnivorous plant was never satisfied. The once good-guy whose psyche was poked and prodded by Audrey II made terrible decisions and he eventually became a tasty snack for the man-eating plant.
The moral of the story: Don’t be lead by unscrupulous people (or plants from outer space) who only want to use you for their personal gains. When you are seduced by fear…snap out of it! Grab your calm and embrace the peace.
As I hop on Facebook daily to send loving messages to my fabulous tribe, I’m constantly reminded that it can be a wonderful tool. One uplifting post can bring joy to many. A positive post can change your mindset and turn a challenging day into a cheery day. A frown to a smile.
Speaking of smiles, Merriam continues to post her fun-loving videos and images. In her own words, “I’m not going to let anyone ruin my fun! I’m going to keep on giving posts that make me, and my friends, happy.”
Three cheers for Merriam!
As Eldridge Cleaver wrote, “There is no more neutrality in the world. You either have to be part of the solution, or you’re going to be part of the problem.” Merriam chose to be part of the solution and spread positivity.
Instead of allowing Crazy Makers to drive us lōlō (the Hawaiian word for crazy), let our kindness, our acts of charity and our sense of humor thrive. May Merriam’s resolve inspire you to always use social media as a force for good. Your positive actions will transform your energy and help give you more fulfilling moments…mirthful moments. The Crazy Makers don’t like you to be comfortable—so give them a pill they find hard to swallow: Humor, kindness and love.
When we decide to take back our power and help the world be a better place, it’s a magnificent feeling that spreads faster than Seymour could feed the “Mean Green Mother from Outer Space”.
In peace, love and being a force for good,
❤️Beach
