Jenni-Lyn

It is with irony that I admit not to like technology much, even when it encourages me to write and has obvious educational value.  Overall it seems to be causing more social harm than good. But there are exceptions.

I have some friends (and family) who aren't good at long distance, rarely write or call, but when we get together time just melts away and we are back at the kitchen table with the blue checkerboard curtains. On fb, I can see them, wish their wishes, pray their prayers. It is a very efficient way to keep in touch with the unit and at the same time the superficiality of it bugs me.

MoBs (mothers of boys) are fairly ignored during the claim-staking years when our sons become men, at least for a while. Breaking away is important, and I encourage leadership and self-sufficiency in them, but I still miss them.  And the subtle, voyeuristic atmosphere of fb is ideal to keep up with life without erecting a landing site.

When Aiyana became sick, a facebook page and blog collected prayers and shared her life stories. And in no time at all love was pouring in from strangers as well as friends. We collected it like rainwater and it strengthened Aiyana and flowed into her sisters and brothers and parents. It gave comfort as we laid her to rest knowing that she touched so many lives.

I never really thought about how it feels for strangers to connect with someone they don't know and what prompts them to leave powerful and loving messages after being able to see through just the statistic of just another sick eight year old kid with a beautiful smile. But now I do.

I recently became involved with a fb page for Jenni-Lyn Watson, a lovely 20 yr old dance major (ballerina) from Mercyhurst College in Pennsylvania who vanished Nov 19th while at home in New York for Thanksgiving break. By all accounts, she was a wonderful caring friend and daughter, with no wild dangerous behaviors or hidden dark side. Just a regular girl from a good home who vanished one day.

A fb page appeared within hours of her disappearance, to pass the word in the hopes of finding her. Within days there were 26,568 fb'ers who were praying and searching for her, learning about her, including me. I learned what her special gifts were, what a joy she was to everyone who knew her.

I now see the electronic media can be a powerful connective tissue for communities to support families in crisis and help with families disconnected by distance and time. And more than ever I know it is never wasted when you care about one another and reach out, even if it is over a keyboard, and when the end of the story is tragic and sad.

RIP, Jenni-Lyn.