Several years ago, my young sister at the time (13 yrs old) was hit by a car and was paralyzed, she was a quadriplegic. For her (as there are varying degrees) meant she had no use of any limbs in any capacity. From a youthful snowboarder and ballerina at 5’11″ in 7th grade, she went from active and popular to an outcast, different and misunderstood.

Several years have gone by since then, she’s now 16, and still trying to figure out how to fit in. Last month she re-joined Facebook with the help of some friends and she is able to socialize like a normal kid for the most part (at least from her perception). Now I’m not sure if the impact of this can translate over a post like this, but the impact was amazing. It left her feeling alive, connected, and in some ways, free from the claims of her disability.

We often get caught up on using social media for business or professional purposes, but this shows us how the simple act of connecting can mean so much to one person. So, thank you Facebook and thank you to this new media that allows us to connect and interact with one another so easily!