My cousin Jayne (in the center) sent me this fantastic
photo of us with Katie, her sister. We were at a church activity.
We look like Wilson Phillips:
It's so weird that I haven't seen this photo of us before, and seeing
it brought back so many memories. It's so bittersweet.
When I look at this photo of myself, I feel a pang of sadness
because 15-year-old me doesn't know what
challenges lie ahead. Yikes!
But it makes me so happy, too, because I really
had such a wonderful childhood.
It was mostly drama-free and completely phone and social-media-free.
I feel for the youth worldwide who are constantly bombarded by
messages, noise, and distractions.
And the fake.
So much fake.
It's frightening and disheartening at times.
Social media can certainly be a wonderful tool to connect with others
and share goodness, but as President Nelson counseled:
“The downside of social media is that it creates a false reality,
everyone posts their most fun, adventurous,
and exciting pictures, which create the erroneous impression that
everyone except you is leading a fun, adventurous, and exciting life.
Much of what appears in your various
social media feeds is distorted, if not fake.”
I think that, as a society, we will always struggle to
determine how to manage and handle social media.
As a parent, I feel the heaviness of it as I raise my children,
hoping they have and are making healthy
relationships with their social media feeds.
It's really tricky.
There are days when I wish my children could experience
growing up in the 80s and 90s.
It had its challenges, but it was also pretty amazing.
I think the Wilson Phillips song "Hold On" really
captures the struggle of kids dealing with social media.
Allow me to demonstrate:
"I know this pain (I know this pain)
(comparing and FOMO)
Why do you lock yourself up in these chains? (These chains)
(addictive grasp of social media)
No one can change your life except for you
(agency)
Don't ever let anyone step all over you
(addiction)
Just open your heart and your mind
(take a break from the fake)
Is it really fair to feel this way inside?"
(constantly worried about what people think)
Someday, somebody's gonna make you wanna
Turn around and say goodbye
(the prophet, the spirit, your conscience)
Until then, baby, are you gonna let them
Hold you down and make you cry?
(caring about what people that you
don't even know think about you)
Don't you know?
Don't you know things can change?
(take a break from the fake!)
Things'll go your way
If you hold on for one more day
Can you hold on for one more day?
Things'll go your way
Hold on for one more day,
(you can do it!)
You're welcome.
