Facebook

I've been busy with my Facebook account lately. Year end is a good time to catch up with ex-classmates, ex-colleagues and generally ex-whatever in life. This cool site has enabled me to find or be found by people whom I thought I'd lost touch with; even those who live in other continents now. The only people I've stubbornly refused to add are my current colleagues despite the fact that my whole organisation is in a frenzy with the Facebook fad. Why?

For starters, I find it a tad strange to be on a 'networking' portal with people whom I see everyday or interact with through email or phone on a daily, if not weekly basis. Secondly, what is it they say about not mixing business with pleasure? Some working relationships are better kept that way.......as a working relationship, that is. In other words, people who know what I have for lunch everyday will not be 'poked', 'hugged' or 'thrown gummy bears at' by me.

But this does not mean that I do not appreciate or treasure my colleagues. I do. I enjoy the teamwork and camaraderie at my workplace. Over the years, some of my colleagues have even become firm friends despite the differences in race and religion. It's just that I believe in keeping work and private lives separate.

I guess I'm a sentimental person. I want to fiercely guard my relationships and reminiscences with old friends and not dilute them with the present. It is amazing to be able to still connect people from 20 years ago and the ability to pick up from where we've left off is priceless.

Life is short and fraught with challenges. There are only 24 hours a day. Besides work, family and daily routines, how much time do we have left to touch base with people in our lives? There are some friends we keep in touch with regularly but to those whom we can't, there's always Facebook. And it's a great invention if used properly and wisely.