I know I haven't posted here in a while, primarily because of how busy I've been IRL. Anyway, back to business.

I'm sitting here today, on my 20th birthday, once again contemplating life's biggest challenges and struggles, as I normally do. But today, I feel I need to touch on a subject a bit different from my normal realm.

Now, I've only been on this earth for 20 years now, and even in that short time period, I've seen a large change in the way people interact with one another. I remember a time where, during balmy summer evenings, people would be outside, sitting poolside, or congregated around a barbecue, enjoying each other's companies. Even during this time of year, not too long ago, people would embrace the cold weather, and go mess around in the snow.

I'm not complaining, but there's been such a departure from years past, and it feels as if we've become less, I wouldn't say human, but we've become desensitized in that time period. I would argue a lot of it has to do with our (somewhat unhealthy) obsession with social media in the past several years, especially with every Tom, Dick, and Harry looking to capitalize on some untouched sector of social media, by offering something different than everyone else. As a result, we are drawn to the newest, latest, and greatest thing, which is normal for just about anything: cars, clothing trends, medicinal practices, etc...

I'm not saying it's a bad thing, by any means, but I feel the way we go about it is the negative aspect here. It's as if we've become addicts to the newest forms of social media, and to me, the more in tune we become with it, the more desensitized we become with reality. These days, we'd rather rely on using either a social media outlet or some sort of technological filter to communicate with one another, rather than talking face-to-face with someone, even if it's out for a cup of coffee or lunch.

This, in my mind, creates another problem: it allows people to create facades, and effectively be someone they aren't. It creates people who are extremely self-absorbed, egotistical, materialistic, and more form than function, if you understand what I mean by that.

I'll be honest with you: one of my biggest pet peeves is people who are not true to themselves. In fact, it is a huge turn off for me, seeing anyone who has a proverbial mask on, hiding who they really are to be something they aren't. I believe that if you can't be brave enough to truly be who you were meant to be, than you are truly cheating yourself. You're cheating yourself out of happiness, enjoyment, and in general, life. I don't mean to get religious here, but the man upstairs created each and every one of us, not only for a specific purpose, but to also be individuals, and embrace that.

As I said, it's not all bad: look at Craigslist for example. Online classifieds for just about anything, all at the touch of your fingertips. Or many of the online dating sites we have (some stranger than others). There's quality social media out there, but it's always overshadowed by the normal garbage we've come to expect, and it is slowly deteriorating the traditional values and beliefs we used to have. All of the garbage, from pointless celebrity gossip, to your self-depreciating explicit pictures, and everything in-between, I think is poisoning future, and even current generations.

A good example of this poisoning, is with all the BS seen on Twitter, and wherever else. I'd like to cite a recent example, involving former MLB player Curt Shilling, and his daughter, Gabby. Mr. Shilling posted a tweet recently, congratulating his daughter for getting accepted into a college, where she would be a starting player on the school's softball team. Besides the normal "congrats," and occasional lighthearted jokes, there were individuals that thought it would be humorous to get nasty, insult and disrespect the Shillings, and make very derogatory statements. Mr. Shilling took notice of this (he is known quite a bit for his short fuse), and quickly dispatched the delinquents who thought it was funny. The attention it brought the delinquents brought forth disciplinary from various bodies, and so on and so forth.

Often, this sort of behavior goes unnoticed, and as a result can have severe effects, particularly with depression, and other effects, because the filth, the scum that decide to participate in that behavior, think they're invincible, hiding behind their screen of choice. I hate to alert those people, but it isn't too hard to track and find anyone these days, thanks mainly to their own stupidity by leaving personal information open for anyone to see. Remember, there are consequences to everything. You'll eventually get caught. In essence, the wall that people think exists gives them this false sense of security to do as they please, and often, this leads to morals and respect being thrown out the window. Bottom line: give people space, respect them (you don't have to like them), and just cut the crap.

Where am I going with all of this? The idea I'm trying to get out to everyone, is that social media is not the most important thing in the world. Does it help you stay in touch with people? You bet. Is it helpful in other aspects? Yes. But, there's a lot there that shouldn't be there, and frankly doesn't belong there. A big reason for that is that we've become so in tune and dependent on it, that we feel if we don't do something with it in a given interval of time, we effectively get lost among the millions of others that don't post. In all reality, you get lost in that same mess by posting every 5 minutes, or whatever.

Just do me one favor: Take some time out of your day, whether it be an hour, a half hour, 15 minutes, or whatever. Turn your phones, tablets, computers, and whatever else off, and just take a deep breath. Pick up a book, find a new hobby, catch up on something you've been procrastinating doing, or go out, and maybe have lunch with a good friend, your significant other, your kids, or whoever. I want you to think about what that little quality time means to the other person or people, as well as what it means you. It's just one little thing, that can make a big change in your life.