This is me. And this is social media.

I’m sitting alone on my patio this morning eating breakfast. And behind my house there’s a canyon, but before you get to the canyon there’s a hill and the hill is landscaped.

Because either:
a. This is Southern California and so we need to manicure everything to within an inch of its life; or
b. This is Southern California fire territory and so landscaping is keeping me safe from fire and mudslides.

Whatever. Not really the point. You don’t need to know that part except I feel the need to acknowledge: Landscaping a natural canyon? Yeah, weird.

The point.
While I’m sitting out here eating breakfast, there are some workers on the hill doing… you know, landscaping stuff. And while they’re working they’re singing in Spanish. One will start and then another will pick up the tune. And then it might turn into a whistle or a rowdy Ay! Ay! Ay!

And it’s just so beautiful that I stop breathing for a minute. Immediately, I wish my mom were here because she loves Spanish. And because she would appreciate how endearing this moment is to me.

And then I just wish anyone were here so I could say: Stop. Look at that. Listen. Isn’t it amazing?

I want someone to share that little moment of surprise and awe and joy with me. Because sharing it will intensify my delight and I’ll have a witness to this simple, sweet experience.

Ten years ago.
I have this vivid memory of an afternoon in college. I was driving to work and I pulled up behind a van full of special needs kids. In the very back row were two boys with Down Syndrome. And they were singing and laughing and car dancing their hearts out. I almost couldn’t stand it. So of course I immediately whipped out my cell phone to call my roommate and she giggled and swooned with me.

Today.
(Note: End of story if you’re not on Twitter. But you should totally come hang out on Twitter.)

And so I think: I’m going to tweet this. Because there are a few hundred people I can tell right now. Maybe one of them will understand. Or I’ll just be heard. My experience right here in this moment will be a thing. It will have a container and it will mean something more because of the connection.

And because there’s something real and true and soulful in telling someone:
Hey! Stop and look at this thing with me. This moment is important to me.

There is something in me noticing this moment that is part of who I am. In showing you what tugs at my heart I am showing you me. This is me.

And in fact, this morning on Twitter someone lovely did hear me. And she shared my moment. And I just felt this delicious little frisson of connection.

There are so many Big Important Sterile Reasons to use “social media”. This is the real deal. For me.

(Also, my twitter friend and I are totally starting a Sing-While-We-Work movement. Wanna join?)