Reflections on Facebook's Birthday

Facebook is 10 years old. I'm not even sure that I knew the term "social media" in 2004. Sure I emailed and surf the internet and I maybe heard of MySpace. As I reflect back on 10 years since Facebook was around, I realize the changes that I have made.
In 2004, I was already going thru a big change. The division I worked for at Regence Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Utah was down-sizing and I was apart of the down-sizing. It was year from hell, but when I think of 2004, what I remember the most is a Jackson family reunion. I traveled to southern Colorado with my brothers for a family reunion with some of my cousins, which was actually a Jackson brothers reunion. I saw kindness. Tyler, Emmalee's son was hung out with my nephews, Spencer and Brennan, who were younger than him. Coach Jackson got quite a few to run in the Manassa 5k. Pioneer Day was being celebrated in Manassa, almost like it was in Utah. William took us on Jackson Family history tour. I got to see the places my great grandparents and grandparents lived and worked. That Saturday night, we watched the Manassa fireworks from my aunt's backyard. And before I left that weekend, I discovered that my dad wasn't all English-American. Like his siblings, he passed on a French heritage and I found out why my Grandpa Jackson was Lafayette. Although Lafayette's mother was born in England, she was still proud of her French heritage. And I am too.
Since 2004, I have experienced joys and sorrows. Shortly after the new year (2005) started, I walked out of Blue Cross one final time as an employee. Just before April's Fools day, I entered full time employment at the University of Utah. I had worked as an usher at the football games since 2002. I felt as if I come full circle. Not because I had been a student, but because thru the University of Utah's career center, I found my job at Blue Cross in 1985. And because Blue Cross asked for volunteers for the Utes' Fan Fest, I was invited by Ray, a usher for the football games to come work at University of Utah as a seasonal employee. Funny how things work out.
I joined Facebook in 2008, thanks to an invite from my Janette, a former co-worker of mine at Blue Cross. My nephew, Brian was among my first four Facebook friends. Another was my co-worker, Penny. Soon I found myself connecting to roommates from college and my young adult days. Former and current co-workers became Facebook friends. I rediscovered high school classmates. And even found more cousins on Facebook. Mostly Jackson's, but some Boices too. And when my Mom passed away in 2012, I found support from my Facebook friends. Your kind words got me thru a difficult time. And I can't forget the prayers that my Facebook friends said in my behalf during the years. We really do need each other.
As I watched the "Look back" videos on Facebook, I was touched. I posted "I look at the Facebook movies that were made by my friends. I see the joys, the sorrows. And I realize how much we have all been blessed." Friends got married, had children, shared their struggles, got jobs, went and came home on LDS missions and posted pictures. Some made me laugh, some made me cried, some just made me smile. And I realized, I've been blessed and my friends too. Thank you, Facebook for being there 10 years.