I suppose people will wonder why I decided to deactivate my Facebook account. I will briefly explain.

Last year, I met a person who quickly became a friend. She was stunningly beautiful, fun to be around, she was caring, smart, and just a wonderful person. When I met her, I was lost and heading down a path that did not lead to any progress in life and at the time, I did not see all of the great things that she was. We went through some difficult times at first because of this. I was a complete jerk to her and I never deserved to be with her. But still, she cared for me and we dated for a few months. During the time we were dating, I grew tremendously as a person. Just when I was at the point when the past was behind us and the future looked so amazing, she wanted to break it off. I was broken-hearted, but after a couple weeks of deep sorrow, I realized that even though we weren't dating, I was still on the precipice of great change. I wrote her a personal letter telling her many things I wanted her to know before we parted ways. I expected when I wrote the letter that I would never see her again. To my great delight, that was not the case. We remained best friends. I had the great privilege of seeing her many more times. Through all the experiences we shared, I learned one of the greatest feelings I have ever known. I learned a different kind of love, a deeper, true love for a person. I have moved around a lot and never really had a friend that I could be so close with until her. It is difficult for me to put into words how greatly I cared for my dear, sweet friend. She taught me so many things. She was an example to me in many ways and I was humbled to have been blessed with such a good friendship, one which I felt I did not deserve. She saved me, and all that I am right now I owe to her.

Recently, our friendship has come into jeopardy and possibly ended abruptly. Technology is a wondrous thing, but even in all its greatness, there are flaws in the way everything works together. Such was the case when a combination of new Facebook security protocols, a crashed web browser, and saved information collided to create the perfect storm that led to her account being compromised and alerting her that an unauthorized computer was attempting to access her account. The new security protocols did as they were supposed to and prevented the account from being accessed, but with the alert being sent, doubt entered the mind, trust was lost, and a the downward spiral of fear and anger quickly took its toll. I have done all I can to help her understand the truth, but the anger and hate have too firm a grasp in her mind and I am helpless. Once again, my heart is broken.

I determined that the ability to share my thoughts with others throughout the day in a social network setting is not worth the immense pain I feel in the loss of all that I care for. If the information contained within such a place can cause such torture, then I will give it up without a second thought.

And to my friend, I would give all that I have to properly tell you this: thank you for saving me. Not a day has passed since you came into my life that I haven't fallen to my knees and poured out my heart in gratefulness for the honor of your friendship. I will always reserve a place in my heart and mind for you and my life will be a monument to your influence.

The Song of the Day is dedicated to this friend, it's "We All Need Saving" by Jon McLaughlin.

"Say what you will,
but the time that we fill
while we're on the earth
should not be alone
we were meant to be known
You make me what I'm worth..."