Dear Mom and Dad — Please Get on Facebook.

Really. I mean it.

In 1986 my Father died. I was 14 years old.

He was a hero to me. He was larger than life. His laughter contagious, his generosity unmatched, his bear hugs stronger than imaginable. He was my Dad.

And my Dad is gone.

30 years ago is a lifetime.

Many friends and family have passed away since then but none as hard as losing my Dad.

When a loved one leaves today we usually have pictures, videos and tweets to remember them by. There are often groups to join and automatic reminders which show their face at unexpected times.

My dad died in 1986. It was the last time I ever heard him speak.

There was no YouTube, no Facebook, and no Instagram back then. VHS was barely a thing and cell phones were bricks, if you could find one at all.

Photo albums existed but they can get lost, are not available online and only capture moments.

There was no video ever recorded.

I am over 40 now. I am a Dad.

I wish I knew my Dad more.

I want to know what his favorite color was, what jokes he shared with his pals, what videos made him laugh.

I want to know what pages he liked.

I want to know if he ever cried to the Hallmark Channel.

I want to read his posts to Mom.

I want to see a funny selfie.

I want to know his favorite groups.

I want to know what posts he shared.

I would like to hear him laugh one more time.

I would love to see him smile.

I want to know more about who he was.

If you are a parent then don’t be afraid to join Facebook. It’s so much more than a sea of IQ quizzes, funny pets and games.

It’s a diary.

A diary of who you are.

A timeline of your life for loved ones.

You can set privacy.

You can be secure.

Facebook is not only for you — it’s for your kids.

My Dad is gone.

You are still alive.

Give your children the greatest gift while you can.

An insight into who you really are.

To my Mom — THANK YOU for joining.

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