by Gresilda McDermott

Created on: January 08, 2011

Dictionary.com defines the term social networking as: the use of a website to connect with people who share personal or professional interests, place of origin, education at a particular school, etc.

 People have mixed feelings about the new social networks and what is an advantage to one is not to others.

 For my friend Joan the social network media has brought her back to life and makes me reflect as to what this social media can provide.

 When I first met Joan she was a bubble of pure joy and happiness bringing smiles to every life she touched.  Knowing she shared my work place brought a bright light to a boring job and environment.   She had a wonderful family who shared her nature in attitude and love.

 Often life brings us devastation that takes away our joy and this occurred for Joan all at one time.   She and her family were on a camping trip to the mountains which was a dream for them all and ended up becoming an end to life as she once knew it.  The car hit a large boulder that suddenly fell from the side of a mountain road and her husband lost control of the vehicle and in turn caused the car to take a long rolling trip down the mountain side.  Joan was the only survivor.

 Years passed and Joan sat permanently in a wheelchair first in rehab and then to a small trailer in a small town in the country where she could afford to live on her small pension and now disability.   She was just a body and appeared to have no soul left.

 Introducing Joan to the social network was a challenge indeed.   At first she had no interest at all.  This woman had a good mind and the ability to type and familiar with the computer.  After long encouragement she made an account on a social network and soon started to accumulate friends, some from her life before the accident and many new ones. Without the social network she had no means to interact with other people.   She started to take an interest in reading the daily status of others and reading the things they praised and the things they complained about.  Something inside her gave birth that she had long since buried with her family, first interest and then joy.   She started to encourage others who had far less problems then she did and never letting them know at the beginning she was confined to a wheelchair.  She formed friendships, she provided encouragement and hope to others, she began to have a life once more. 

 Who would have ever thought that a social network thought by many to be a silly waste of time would bring back a useful purpose to someone otherwise would be sitting in a chair staring at the wall or television and not interacting with other human beings?

 This social network became a healing to my friend.

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