Facebook no longer

Thats it, I've done it. I closed down my facebook account. I feel so free, like my life is mine again, and not being sucked up by a computer.

There were various reasons why I did it. my friends looked at me like I was crazy. athey can't understand how I can survive without facebook. They try to convince me to reopen it. But I am firm in my decision. Don't worry, I tell them. It'll be how it was before I opened it. just make believe I never got facebook altogether. Apparently, they want all the pictures I put up, that they now have no access to.

I always say that Israelis waste a third of their life waiting at traffic lights. For some reason, they won't dare to cross on red. Well, American waste a third of their life on computers, surfing useless sights, such as facebook.

Everything in this world has potential, and can be used for good or bad. Shluchim, and lubavitchers, have found many ways to use the internet as a tool to bring Jews closer to yidishkeit, therefore elavating it.

Facebook can be used to connect with friends, keep in touch with people you would otherwise not talk to, and meet new people. Or ch''v the opposite. People use it to talk to guys, do things they shouldn't do, and otherwise waste their life.

I just got bored of it. It was just one more thing I had to check, and it was getting to be more of a burden than a help. For a while I was thinking of closing it down. Then my principal gave us a talk on the dangers of facebook, and how it can be harmful.

She pointed out that anything you put up, is there forever. even after you shut down your account. And even if you put yourself on private. Any proffessional hacker can find all the stuff you put up, and possibly use it against you.

All she said just gave me the extra push I needed. When I attempted to close down my account, facebook gave me a hard time. They showed me pictures of all my friends, and said they would all miss me. Then I had to give a reason for shutting down. I clicked on the 'waste of time' box. They proceeded to give me a 'solution' to my 'problem'. Then when I finally shut it down, they let me know that I was welcome back any time, and all I had to do was put in my old email adress and password, and it would be reactivated.

By that time, I was thinking it would be less of a hassle to just keep it open. Which would have made them happy. I talk about 'them' as if they are real people. It's a website, for G-d's sake! They are not capable of emotions, of 'missing' me. But they don't want to let me go.

This reminds me so clearly of the yetzer hara. He holds you tight in his poisenous tentacles, and refuses to let you go. He puts all types of stumbling blocks in your path, to tempt you, and make you fall.

And when you do rise above it, and decide to change, to be better, he laughs and says, don't worry, you'll be back. We are like old friends, you can't get rid of me.

You can get rid of him. It's just very hard. I did, for now at least. So I am facebook free. It was one small step, but a good one.

I'm a free woman now, and loving it!