Friends

The Warrior Waits.

The above painting as you can see is called, The Warrior Waits. it is one of a series of painting I completed and sold on this theme. I enjoyed thinking up different situations to put the warrior in. Some of my  "friends" on FB now own these paintings and at least two of them are in the USA. 

This one, while painting it, made me wonder what it was he was waiting for. He looks so alone. For the context of this page today i wonder if he was waiting for his "friends."

Once again I have had a discussion with somebody who really does not like Facebook. They make such fun of those of us who talk about the friends we have on FB. 

"The cannot be friends, you hardly know them and they could be just anybody at all."

They do have a point, and there is a case to be made. I recently helped a good friend of mine to set up a page.  I explained to him how it all worked and how to add people. I showed him how to use messenger. 

We took his picture and put it on his profile and he was pleased and ready to get started.  His family were very happy to see him there and quickly signed up as his "friends".

Then, a few days later, he came round to see me. There are folk on my FB that I really do not want to see. There are people there that I do not know and would rather that they were not in anyway associated with me.  

"What do I do ?" he asked. 

I taught him how to not just delete them but to also block them.  he is now still on FB and much more cautiously he is communicating with family and friends, and making new friends into the bargain.

I have to say, that I was a late starter on FB but I have made some very genuine friends. There those who encouraged me to write this blog and quietly tell me what they really think of what I have written. Those who do not agree with me and feel to be friendly enough to share that with me.  

Yes I have made some good friends here and they know who they are.

But making friends online is a bit like making friends in real life. Sometimes we will be misled and sometimes we will be surprised by their generosity and support. But as in real life we need to go with care.

So now let me get to my little tale for today. Food for thought and smile to pass along.

This is an article that was sent into the editor of a small local newspaper. I have printed it in full. 

Dear Sir: 

I haven't got a computer, but I was told about Facebook and Twitter and am trying to make friends outside Facebook and Twitter while applying the same principles.

Every day, I walk down the streets and tell passers-by what I have eaten, how I feel, what I have done the night before and what I will do for the rest of the day. 

I give them pictures of my wife, my daughter, my dog and me gardening and on holiday, spending time by the pool. 

I also listen to their conversations, tell them I 'like' them and give them my opinion on every subject that interests me…whether it interests them or not.

And it works. I have four people following me; two police officers, a social worker and a psychiatrist.

To all my "friends" who will read this today. have a great day and may your  "friends" feel blessed to call you friend. Be a good one.