The Power of Facebook and OMG I Found You!

Michael I have not written a blog post for awhile because I was considering whether or not I should share a profound experience. 

I have been thinking about how I would write this post and frankly, I chickened out every time.

The final decision came to me as I remembered that this is the "Authentic Communications Blog" and in the interest of full disclosure, I must be authentic and even open about this. 

The truth is I am protective of my personal life and tend to avoid talking about it.

These things have a way of emerging when it is time and so it was with amazement during my radio show, that I found myself sharing the information with my guest.

Many years ago after my divorce from his father, my son was stolen from me.  It happened during one of my ex-husband's visits.  He was to pick up our son every other week for the weekend.  My mother was watching Michael when his dad showed up for his bi-monthly visit.  

Unfortunately, his father took him and never returned.

I frantically searched for them, but every time I located them, his father moved somewhere else and I had to start over.  Eventually I lost even the slightest way to find them.

Then my mom turned 90 and we all decided to throw her a 90th Birthday Bash!  The great grand children created a Facebook page "Mom's 90th Birthday" and used it to reach out to family members worldwide.  My nieces and nephews in the military could reach out from Iraq, our family in the UK could connect to us and this became birthday central.

Then the most amazing thing happened, someone, somehow, found Michael and invited him.  I couldn't believe it! 

For years I only had one picture of Michael and lo and behold, he had posted it on his Facebook page.  I was speechless.

As I excitedly browsed through his uploaded pictures, I found out that he had married, and I have three grandchildren.

Soon the phone rang, I recognized his voice immediately.  

"Do you know who this is?"  

"Yes, Michael."

Michael, Yvonne, Michelle We bridged the years in that call.  As we spoke I learned that he too had tried to find me.  

 We had both been trying to find each other, and now, mom's 90th Birthday Bash had put us together.

We connected on Facebook, and on LinkedIn.  We worked on building our relationship. 

We even had a Skype video call so we could see each other face to face.  

My son Charles connected to Michael too, and through Facebook we all got to know each other better.


Micheal & Michael III I connected to each of my three grandchildren on Facebook and got to know them a little. 

A few months ago, I was able to see my grand daughter Michelle's graduation pictures and vicariously watched my namesake's birthday party.

It's a lot to catch up on and I am still working on it.  I plan a visit to meet them all this Summer and we are all looking forward to it.

All thanks to Facebook. 


If you have found someone through Facebook, please share your story with us.

Connect to me at www.facebook.com/YvonneFBrown and let's start a dialogue.

He who was lost, has now been found and I am indeed joyful.

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