R E C O N N E C T

Isn't easter weekend lovely? It doesn't quite hold the pressure of Christmas, the build up, the anticipation, the expense. A chocolate egg costs a fraction of a well thought out gift, and the expectation is almost non existent. So isn't it lovely when it surprises you. It's a well known fact that the calories don't count on a holiday and the parentals still put on a spread despite the fact we're not actually practising Christians - we're just British and love an excuse for a boozy, foody long weekend.

However, the one thing that annoys me is my frustrating desire to document it. Why do I feel the need to 'show' everyone via Snapchat or Facebook or Instagram what a fab weekend it has been. Why can't our generation just enjoy a moment without having to plaster it over a variety of walls?

The people I care about I have been in contact with directly. We have asked how each others weekends are going, we have wished each other well. Why do we put so much energy into keeping long lost acquaintances in the loop of our day to day lives, and why do we feel like by not posting, people will think we aren't still enjoying ourselves. Susan from HR won't be inconsolably heartbroken that you didn't post that picture of your dog in bunny ears, and you could probably have saved yourself a lecture from Diego the PT by not sending multiple snapchats of all the simnel cake and chocolate eggs you ate in a twenty-four hour time frame.

Yes, I myself have sent the occasional snapchat, and yes they've probably been of my dogs (because they're possibly my favourite things in the world), but I have tried to make a conscious effort to not create a whole Facebook album on my long weekend. This is most probably because it would just be of me not wearing makeup, shoving an unhealthy amount of food and wine down my throat, and watching films that flopped in the cinema but tv channels seems to play three or four times a month. However, this is also because I know, people probably just don't care.

Also, this habit we have all developed in building on this 'perfect' online persona is not helping with mental health. It is important for people to recognise that this isn't real life. I am my own worst enemy and seeing the best of everyone else quite often induces feelings of inadequacy in myself. For anyone going through a hard time, seeing people only posting the best aspects of their lives, the best parts of their weekends, the family picture they took before everyone got sloshed and started questioning their relationship status or lack thereof, these posts are building on these feelings of isolation.

As a generation I feel we tend to forget that these posts that we put so much time and effort into are still indirect. They only show what's on the surface. If you care for someone then pick up the phone and ask them how they are. Converse. Reconnect.