When the movie "Fargo" came out I loved it.  I love all Coen Brother's movies .  Except one.  But that's because I drug a date to it, he complained about it, then he pretended it was his idea to see it and he started quoting it...  But I digress.  I recommended "Fargo" to my parents.  They watched it.  My mom said she hated it.  I asked why and her response was "I couldn't figure out if I was supposed to laugh or be sad.  It was tragic and comic and I didn't know how to feel."  I have never actually recommended a movie the family has liked, so I wasn't shocked that "Fargo" fell into that pile.  But what stuck with me was that 1. If I'm going to recommend a movie to Mom it needs to either be comedy or tragedy, but there's no mixing the two and 2. Life is often funny and sad at the same time.  Often at the very point of crisis, funny sometimes perks its head up.

Facebook allows us to keep up with the mass amounts of friends we have who come into our lives and then - because of our mobile society - pack up and move off.  Since 10 years of my life were spent working at two higher education institutions, every year my friends would move on.  I love that I know where they all are.  I love seeing their families grow.  I love celebrating milestones, even virtually, that I otherwise would have missed.

Not surprisingly, Mom has mixed feelings about Facebook.  She thinks no one cares what everyone is doing every minute of the day.  To a point she is correct.  However, I get to share in those moments - a child I babysat has a baby who spit up on a tie before an important meeting, a baby I visited right after birth is cutting her first tooth, a car of my college friend that so diligently carted a load of girls to dance every Thursday night has broken down for the very last time.  So many glimpses that would otherwise never be documented.

Some know I have a passion to complete a masters degree in epigraphy.  What that means - apart from the fact that you never want to run into me at a cocktail party and ask me what I'm studying - is that I love ancient writings.  I love seeing writings from civilizations long gone.   I wonder about the civilization that will run across our status updates one day.  Will they roll their eyes or will they see what it essentially is: an intricate view into life in the early 21st century.  How fascinating to discover these moments documented by our society!  And the blogs out there.  So much writing.  So much documenting.

More than ever, when I see my friends' updates I am reminded again of "Fargo" and my mom's response.  Do you laugh or cry?

Yesterday I read as a dear friend documented her grief as her unborn child had passed away.  My hurt for this family is very strong.  At the same time, I rejoiced with another precious friend who got good news about her pregnancy and yet another  friend who announced she was expecting.  So many different emotions.  I get news of marriages starting, couples celebrating years together, couples who are ending their marriages.  Tragedy, grief, celebration, elation.  Do you laugh or cry?  Sometimes you have to do both.  Life is both.

I wonder if this is how God feels, so many of us going through so many different things.  Some of us thanking Him.  Some of us mad at Him.  Some of us needing Him to carry us.  Some of us preferring Him to keep His distance.

How hard that must be.  Laughing and weeping at the same time.