Dear Social Media,
I was going to ask you to Be My Valentine. I was going to send you virtual hearts and chocolates to let you know how much I care.
Feburary 14th has come and gone. I am glad that I forgot. For you see I’ve found out that what you create is an illusion. You make us believe that we need you to connect with each others. Even to find love. #Fake
Oh sure, some brands have opened their hearts beyond corporate talk. The playing field is leveled for small businesses and non profit organizations to tell their stories without huge budgets. Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, Instagram, Snapchat and LinkedIn offer ways for people to reach out to people to express opinions and passions.
My friend Kate forward me an email with a link to a New York Times article about the Victorian Era. How quaint is that I thought. It was more than quaint.. it was a dose of reality from circa 19th century. In the age before a tweet people were using newspapers ads to find love. You created an illusion that if it weren’t for you dear social media we would not find… love, happiness, business, friendships or even our newest, favorite restaurant in town. But the truth is media played a role for many years before the internet.
No we don’t need you dear social media but…
Dear Social Media,
I must admit you have given us new ways to build bridges that frequently span oceans and often the streets of our towns.
You’ve given us a way to find views that are both similar to our own and those that might make us uncomfortable.
You’ve expanded our understanding of different cultures.
You’ve given us new opportunities to meet people who might have never come into our worlds.
You’ve given us new avenues to tell the stories of the people who are the heart of our organizations and those who use our products and services.
You’ve encouraged us to be more of who we are in our transactions with customers; and the courage to be ourselves often spills into our relationships with family and friends.
Perhaps this vintage Valentine is just the right way to say Will You Be Mine? While reminding us that what you offer complements what we already have. 
xo,
Toby
