I'm sorry that I never watched that Youtube video you sent me

At this time in the Jewish year (between the holidays of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur), it is traditional to ask for forgiveness from those we have wronged over the past year.  In recent years, more and more of my friends have been posting social media apologies.  I'm guessing you've seen a facebook status update that says something like "If I did something to hurt you this year, I'm sorry."

Um, really?  This doesn't do it for me.  If you know me well enough to be worried that you might have offended me and not realized it, than tell me.  Or call.  Or at the very least send me a personal email. I am a little old fashioned and facebook is not yet intimate enough for me for these kind of messages.  As this article teaches (albeit in another context), face it - don't facebook it.

But what about sins that are commited via social media?  Can we apologize for those with social media?  I believe we can.  And thus offer the following set of apologies (collected from my facebook friends, twitter followers, and real, live human beings I spoke with).

Virtual friends and followers, please forgive me for:

• The sin committed with a smartass facebook comment that could have been left unsaid (hat-tip to JB)
• The committed by over-sharing the accomplishments of our children, using baby talk when we do so, and assuming that people care about their bodily functions (hat-tip to QR)
• The sin committed by "liking" our own posts.  (hat-tip to KB)
• The sin committed by posting we will be in your city and then, well, not really wanting to hang out with you. (hat tip to SS)
• The sin committed by not wishing you a happy birthday on facebook.
• The sin committed by sending out an identical message simultaneously via facebook, twitter, and email.  
• The sin committed by replying to your voice mail with a text message.
• The sin committed by cluttering your news feed with gaming results.
• The sin committed by not checking out urban myths before passing them on.
• The sin committed by forwarding email chain letters.  Or jokes.  (Everyone over the age of 50 is automatically forgiven for the joke piece).
• The sin committed by sending you an email while you are in the room talking to me.

And one more, that I am truly sorry for:

• The sin committed by bragging (or  worse, complaining) about all that I have: healthy children, steady interesting work, a supportive and adorable spouse whom I was able to legally wed, great friends, an amazing family.... 

Because social media is about sharing our success, and joy, and struggles.  But when the audience isn't direct, and the message is 140 characters or less, it sure can be hard to remember to insert gratitude for what we have and acknowledgment that others might not be in the same place.

Will you forgive me?