I’ve taken a break from all social media.

As I type this I, myself, recognize the irony and the comedy in making such a statement.

The irony of course lies in the fact that my last column was inspired by the son of an influencer.

The comedy lies in that, as I type it my initial thought is, who really cares.

I still feel that, even as I’m typing, yet I recognize there is a lesson (or two) here and one of my favorite things about this column space is being able to share lessons.

For quite some time now, I stood behind the fact that social media has become a crucial part of our job. Gone are the days that people call to tell us they are opening a business, their child did something notable or there’s an event they’d like to share details with us on.

Oh, now I see the five of you reading these words and shaking your head.

There are still some OG readers/community members who send me a text, give a call or send an e-mail. Oh how I do appreciate you and I thank you for helping us stay relevant.

Yet for the most part, the community at large turns to social media with much of the above noted items. Once quick to post to friends and family their exciting news on this forum, there is now an even broader net they can throw as there are now public pages where any and all the things may be announced.

Truth be told, I’m not a fan of these public pages. I don’t follow any page that allows Anonymous posters. Nope, I refuse. I understand the reasoning/argument some feel this is necessary. Yet, I also see the power people have been given by way of sharing negativity that can largely impact a person life. That’s not always a good thing.

So I continue to live in the land of the 1900’s where I type my thoughts here with my name attached and if everyone doesn’t agree or like it – that’s quite alright.

The damage that can be done in these forums seriously concerns me. What’s even more concerning is that it’s not recognized widely that just because some yahoo puts it out there, most especially the keyboard warriors, doesn’t make it fact.

Yet I digress, kind of.

This frustration and disappointment in society as a whole, was part of what prompted my break/departure. It just became mentally exhausting in a way.

That’s weird.

But it’s not. The psychological studies that have been done on the impacts of social media on individuals is both daunting and not great. As adults, we like to focus on “screen time” and its effect on the young. Sadly and not surprising it has effects on us all.

Now I would be remiss, if I didn’t share I believe there’s a lot of positives to social media. I am indeed a “poster” myself. Through this forum, I have been able to share a lot of my journey, most notably in regards to my health. The individuals and families we’ve been able to help as a family has made this a true gift.

Is putting something so personal on blast for everyone? Of course not. But what I know for sure, is sharing the path that I’ve been on, has helped others. The amount of messages, letters and emails received have been enough to keep me on this path. As I’ve shared with family and friends, I don’t think it’s accident that a person with an above average reach was given this challenge. I’m happy to help.

What’s entertaining and interesting are the people who share they’re not fans of social media, however they seem to see all the things via the above-mentioned pages or what people like myself post. As I once told a friend, if people like myself didn’t post on occasion, the voyeur would have nothing to see.

But now, it’s time to return to 1990 or even 2002 if you will. That after all was when I began this journey at the Oakdale Leader.

We had no social media back then. We had to rely on networking, pounding the pavement and genuine connection with our community.

It’s a bit scary, if being honest. I hate when we miss something. When an event happens and we didn’t know, but hey you’re sure to catch it on social media. I just won’t know.

Cheers to the way life was, I look forward to sharing more lessons.

Teresa Hammond is a staff reporter for The Oakdale Leader, The Riverbank News and The Escalon Times. She may be reached at thammond@oakdaleleader.com or by calling 209-847-3021.