“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” I’ve heard that saying my entire life. This dog is barking and letting you know, I’ve learned a new trick, and no . . . it’s not rolling over. My latest romp is doing something that my own family and millions of others are doing already. I got on Instagram. (I’m not ashamed to say I had help, thank you Erica.)
Instagram proved similar to learning the Tarot, in that I had no idea what to expect and couldn’t conceive the surprises ahead.
I know some of you may be thinking, “No big deal, I’ve had an account for years,” and good for you. You are so far ahead of my learning curve. The thought of social media/technology sends shivers down my back.
I grew up in a time when telephones were attached to walls and you used them for only one thing—to talk. You were living “high on the hog” if your parents’ phone had a cord that stretched long enough for you to escape into another room. Away from the prying ears of a multi-generational family that as soon as you hung up, would shine a light in your eyes and interrogate you for hours. Unfortunately, our phone had a three foot cord.
So I’ve been playing around with my new Instagram account. One of the first things I learned to do was “follow” my favorite actor and series, Sam Heughan of Outlander. I have already died and gone to heaven, several times over. It does a heart good, and affects other places as well, to see Sam’s sweet face at the start of every morning. I discovered I am not alone in my Sam worship. Sam Heughan has over one million followers.
Something unexpected and amazing happened after I started posting pictures to Instagram, I received “likes” from people I did not know, and some started “following” me. One person was a female author from the Czech Republic, one was a young father from Indonesia, one was an entrepreneur/public speaker from Singapore, and yet another was a fellow book lover from London, England. For years, I have heard about our “global community,” but it wasn’t real for me until I saw these people and experienced it first hand.
Our loves and interests connect us. I’m now linked to people in other countries that I did not know existed one month ago. I’m glad this old dog is still willing to learn. My new trick is pure magic. With a touch of a finger, I’m joined to kindred spirits across the globe, and it happens by means of the phone nestled in my hand. The cord is infinite.
Written By Erin G. Burrell
Author of That’s Why You’re Here
