Worth the Investment

I became a part of a Facebook conversation. One of THOSE. One that was long enough, I couldn't keep track of replies and comments and kept getting lost as I scrolled down. It was interesting, and informative, and I got to practice being diplomatic and giving thoughtful replies. And in the end, we are all still friends. But it was still quite a bit of drama. And after it was over, I realized that I don't have time for that.
On Facebook, people can't "read" the tone of voice you write things in. And strangers see your posts and take it personally. If you say something against someone they agree with, it can automatically become something you say against them--and normally taken farther than you ever intended. Most of the time...it just isn't worth it.
But what about when it is worth it? What about when it is something you are passionate about and you feel that bubbling up of words and emotions and you can't sleep until you get something out somewhere? Here is my plan for me. Because during this Facebook conversation, I didn't feel balanced, and that needs to change.
Instead of hitting "share,"which is so easy to do, I am going to blog about it. This makes me stop, think, and put time into it. Calm down a little. And, since I am a mom, will cut down on all the things I share. Will cut down on the drama. Because hey--not as many people are willing to read my blog (after 11 years of blogging, I know this to be true) as they are a quick headline and picture. And the people who do read my blog? They are probably are worth having the discussion with.

It has become so easy to share our opinion. Or even a headline of a story we think we agree with, without even knowing the whole story. Writing blogs won't solve this, and it won't make me magically informed. But it will help me make sure it is worth the investment before pushing the "publish" button.