One of my favorite things about Facebook is how all the petty crap from high school is (mostly) gone and you can all coexist in cyberspace without worrying that they'll be gossipping about you in the hallway. They might be Twittering about you, but that's a different story. Case in point; there is a woman I am friends with on Facebook that I was NOT friends with in high school. Why? She was way too popular for me. To be perfectly honest, I can't even say what she was really like in high school because I'm not sure if we ever really talked to any extent! Her friends were the cool group, the ones who were invited to all the parties, who were always voted onto Homecoming and Prom Court, the ones who the rest of us secretly (or not so secretly) envied. I was more of a floater, I guess. You'd think someone who could rock bangs like this in their senior pictures would be a total rock star in the hallways, but you'd be wrong. Yup, those are two of my senior pictures circa 2001. And I thought I was chubby then....whoops.
Fast forward a few years (I graduated in 2001) and suddenly everyone and their grandfather is on Facebook. Former classmates come out of the woodwork and before you know it, you are "Facebook friends" with people you weren't "real" friends with in "real life." Sometimes you do nothing more than read their status and chuckle that they're still hitting the hometown bar every night, but sometimes you get lucky like I did and reconnect with someone who you wish you'd been friends with all along. Tiffany and I started to make comments to one another about our kids. Next we were congratulating one another on new pregnancies, then asking questions about parenting. Before I knew it, I had found a friend in someone who I never thought I would have. Tiffany reads this blog and has given me many a very sweet comment about what I write. She has given me encouragement to keep writing when I have felt like I was blabbing on to nobody but myself. I've enjoyed her potty training triumphs on Facebook and she is enjoying my series on baby food. So, thank you for reading Tiffany. Thank you for making me realize that the petty high school stuff is over and I am grateful to have you as my Facebook friend and hopefully a "real life" friend too!
And, if you're game, I'd like to treat you to a beer at one of our hometown dives the next time I'm in town!
Updated 4/2 at 2:25 PM
As soon as Tiffany read this post, she sent me this comment on Facebook and I immediately started tearing up. I guess my image of myself in high school was slightly skewed too!
Of course when I'm about to write you a message commenting on your blog, my daughter has to go potty and my son has to be fed! Ahh, the perks of being a mommy. :) Thank you, Sarah, for your lovely blog. It brought tears to my eyes because I feel absolutely the same about our "facebook" relationship. But I do have to say that its kind of sad the way teenagers think when they are in high school because I have a secret. Back then I envied you. Especially when I would watch you in the school plays. I always wished and even wish today, that I could have that kind of talent to be apart of activities like that. So its sad in a way that we both couldn't have connected so many years ago. But, thankfully, facebook was created and we were able to connect. Now with being a mommy & wife, I truly appreciate the relationships I have in my life. And I want to thank you for thinking of me through your busy schedule and writing about our "real life" friendship on your beautiful blog! It absolutely made my day and I'm definitely game for a beer when you make it back to big ole' Waupun! :) -Tiffany
