little red box.

Last night I signed into Facebook. And just as I expected I had a little red notification box. I'll admit that when I saw it, a sudden burst of tiny delight came to me.

Ah, the little red box. 

If you have Facebook, you know what I am talking about. Sometimes they have a number eleven or a number one in them. Either way, we all get excited about this little red box. A notification that someone is thinking about you. That somewhere in your Facebook universe something happened that Facebook thinks you should know about! No matter what your age, this happens. I have to say I feel embarrassed to even admit this. Why is it that this notification system can make us feel extremely special or seriously let down?

I'd like to think that something this silly, this small, does not have the power to make any person feel any one emotion. But it does. And I don't believe it's because you want to know how many people liked your status, or who said what on the photo you just posted. There is something deeper going on. A deeper longing we all have, to be wanted. Thought of. Loved. 

Because what would it look like if we no longer need that red box to tell someone else how pretty they are? Or that you wanted to hang out next weekend? What if I told you that that same sense of wanting to feel special and thought of, your mom wanted to feel too. Or your brother or sister. That someone down the street is sitting behind their computer wanting just one person to think of them. And that one person could be you. 

Sure it's fun to see that little red box. That may never change. But what is more fun, is telling someone to their face that you think they are pretty and seeing the joy in their response. YOU have the power to make someone feel that. Feel loved. Just by the words you say. 

So, what will you say today and to whom? 

Give a compliment. Get a compliment (No really, receive it and say thank you). 

And when this happens no box will pop up. No alerts. No notifications. Just the simple joy that your words made someone feel loved. That you may know you are loved.

#ShareSomething: let someone know they are loved...in person :)