THE WORLD HAS CHANGED, BUT HAVE WE CHANGED WITH IT?

I’m generally a good-natured person. Most days, I wake up in a good mood, appreciate the opportunities that life has given me, and enjoy the freedom of being able to move through this world on my own terms. But every now and then, I might deliberately put on a little attitude, not because I’m naturally angry, but because I’ve learned that sometimes you have to make yourself less approachable to certain individuals. There are people walking around with hidden agendas, questionable intentions, and personalities that change depending on what they believe they can get from you. I call these individuals shape-shifters, and unfortunately, they’ve found a wonderful playground in the world of social media.

What’s particularly disturbing about this modern environment is that you don’t have to physically encounter someone to become vulnerable to their influence. You don’t have to invite them into your home, shake their hand, introduce them to your family, or even know what they look like. All they need is a screen, an internet connection, and enough information about you to begin constructing a relationship that might have absolutely nothing to do with their real intentions. While you’re sitting comfortably in your living room, believing you’re enjoying a little harmless entertainment, somebody somewhere could be studying your habits, examining your photographs, learning your interests, and figuring out how to approach you.

I remember when curiosity meant physically going somewhere to see something for yourself. When I was younger, a trip into certain sections of New York City could expose you to all kinds of people, personalities, lifestyles, and things that were completely outside your everyday experience. You might have been a good kid, raised with decent values, but there was still something fascinating about seeing what was happening beyond the boundaries of your familiar surroundings. Human curiosity has always been part of our nature, and there’s nothing necessarily wrong with wanting to explore the world. The difference today is that the world can enter your home, approach your children, and influence your thinking without you ever realizing that an interaction has begun.

We’ve become so comfortable with our technology that many people have developed a false sense of security. We install security cameras, build walls, lock our doors, purchase alarm systems, and do everything possible to protect our physical surroundings. Yet we sometimes leave the digital doors of our homes wide open. We might be careful about who physically enters our property while allowing complete strangers to establish relationships with the people we love through their phones. That’s a contradiction worth examining because the dangers of modern life don’t always announce themselves with a suspicious vehicle parked outside or a stranger standing at the front gate.

My concern isn’t that everybody on social media is dangerous, nor am I suggesting that we should disconnect from the world and live like hermits. I’ve used these platforms, communicated with people, shared information, and appreciated the opportunities they provide. But I’ve also seen enough deception, manipulation, exploitation, and emotional damage to understand that we need a different level of awareness. Social media can be a blessing, but it can also become a curse when we forget that the person behind the profile is still a complete stranger until their character has been demonstrated through time and consistent behavior.

THE STRANGERS WHO CAN WALK RIGHT INTO YOUR HOME

One of the biggest mistakes people make is believing that their family is automatically safe simply because everybody is inside the house. We tend to associate danger with the outside world, but the internet has changed the boundaries between public and private life. A child can be sitting in a bedroom, surrounded by everything a loving parent has provided, while communicating with someone whose intentions are completely different from the friendly personality being presented on the screen. The parent might hear laughter coming from the bedroom and assume everything is perfectly fine, never realizing that somebody has been slowly establishing an emotional connection with that child.

Sexual predators understand that manipulation often requires patience. They might lie about their age, manufacture an appealing identity, pretend to share similar interests, and gradually develop a relationship with someone who doesn’t have the life experience to recognize the warning signs. They don’t necessarily begin with an obviously inappropriate conversation. Sometimes they begin by offering attention, compliments, sympathy, and the feeling of being understood. Over time, they may attempt to separate the child from trusted adults, encourage secrecy, and make the child feel that the relationship is something special that nobody else would understand.

That’s what makes these situations so disturbing. The predator isn’t simply approaching a child physically. They’re attempting to gain access to that child’s thinking, emotions, and sense of trust. Once that relationship becomes established, the child may become confused about what’s happening or feel ashamed to tell somebody. Parents need to understand that protecting children in this digital environment requires more than purchasing a phone with parental controls. It requires conversation, observation, boundaries, and an atmosphere where children know they can speak openly without immediately being punished for telling the truth.

We also have to recognize that children aren’t the only ones being targeted. Adults can become victims of identity deception, romance scams, financial manipulation, stalking, blackmail, and emotional exploitation. A person might create several different profiles, use somebody else’s photographs, invent an impressive employment history, and construct an entire personality designed to attract a particular type of individual. The technology makes it easier to create an appearance, but it doesn’t make that appearance any more truthful.

YOUR LOCATION IS SOMEBODY ELSE’S OPPORTUNITY

Another danger that people underestimate is how much personal information they reveal through ordinary social media activity. We might think we’re simply sharing a photograph of a beautiful evening, a new automobile, a family gathering, or a weekend outing. But those images can reveal much more than we intended. A photograph might expose the appearance of our home, the layout of our property, the neighborhood where we live, the people who regularly visit us, or the places we frequent.

Location-sharing features deserve particular attention. Some platforms offer tools that help people discover other users nearby, and those features can create risks when individuals don’t understand what information they’re making available. If somebody can associate a nearby profile with a recognizable photograph, a real name, and other publicly available accounts, they may be able to piece together information that the user never intended to share as one complete picture.

Think about how easily this information can accumulate. Someone posts a photograph outside their house, another photograph beside their vehicle, and another while shopping at a familiar location. They might also announce that they’re leaving town for several days or that they regularly take their children to a particular activity. Individually, these posts might seem harmless. Together, they can reveal routines, locations, and personal details that could be misused by somebody with malicious intentions.

Parents should be especially careful about publicly sharing photographs and identifying information about their children. A child’s name, school uniform, regular activities, neighborhood, and family schedule can create an unnecessary trail of personal information. We shouldn’t assume that everybody viewing those photographs has wholesome intentions. Privacy settings, location permissions, and the amount of identifying information shared publicly deserve serious attention.

And let me make something clear: this isn’t about becoming frightened of every person who looks at your profile. It’s about understanding that information has value, and once you release it into an environment that you don’t control, you cannot always determine who will collect it, save it, or use it. Turn off unnecessary location sharing, avoid broadcasting your real-time movements, and think carefully before publishing information that identifies where your family lives or spends its time.

THE STRANGE SPIRITS BEHIND THE SCREEN

Now let’s move beyond the obvious physical dangers because there’s another dimension of this conversation that I believe deserves attention. I’m talking about the emotional and spiritual atmosphere that people bring into our lives. When I use the expression strange spirits, I’m describing something deeper than a suspicious profile or an individual with a questionable photograph. I’m talking about people who carry resentment, bitterness, manipulation, envy, hostility, and destructive intentions while presenting themselves as something completely different.

You can meet somebody online who appears to be the most pleasant individual you’ve encountered in years. They compliment you, listen to your problems, agree with your opinions, and seem to understand exactly what you’ve been missing in your life. They might share your interests, appreciate your humor, and even appear to have the same values. But how much do you really know about them? You know what they’ve chosen to show you. You know the version of themselves they’ve decided to present. You don’t necessarily know what happens when the conversation ends, what motivates their decisions, or what they expect to gain from your involvement.

This is where people need to stop confusing familiarity with intimacy. Having something in common with somebody doesn’t mean you’ve established a meaningful relationship. You might both enjoy the same music, support the same social causes, appreciate the same political commentary, or share similar experiences. Those similarities can make conversation enjoyable, but they don’t automatically establish trustworthiness. Two people can agree on almost everything and still have completely different intentions when it comes to their dealings with each other.

Some individuals are exceptionally skilled at studying people. They pay attention to what makes you happy, what disappoints you, what you’ve been missing, and what kind of attention you respond to. Once they understand those things, they can begin presenting themselves as the solution to your problems. If you’ve been lonely, they become attentive. If you’ve been disappointed in relationships, they become understanding. If you’ve been struggling financially, they appear generous. If you’ve been searching for somebody who appreciates your intelligence, they make sure you feel intellectually admired.

Before long, you might begin revealing personal information that you would normally protect. You tell them about your family, your finances, your disappointments, your previous relationships, and the things that keep you awake at night. You believe you’re developing a genuine connection, but you may actually be giving somebody a detailed understanding of your vulnerabilities. That’s why I always emphasize the importance of getting to know yourself. When you’re comfortable with your own company, you’re less likely to become desperate for the approval or attention of somebody who has only recently entered your life.

THE ADDICTION THAT FILLS AN EMOTIONAL VOID

Social media has also created a particular kind of dependency that many people don’t recognize until it begins interfering with their everyday lives. You wake up and reach for your phone. You check it while eating breakfast, during conversations, while watching television, and sometimes even while somebody is sitting directly across from you. You might check every few minutes to see whether somebody has responded to a comment, liked a photograph, or acknowledged something you posted.

At first, it feels like ordinary entertainment. But gradually, the activity can become connected to your emotional well-being. You begin waiting for responses, measuring your importance through reactions, and comparing your everyday experiences with the carefully selected highlights of other people’s lives. Somebody else’s vacation looks better than yours, somebody else’s relationship appears more exciting, and somebody else’s financial success makes you question your own progress. The problem isn’t simply that you’re looking at photographs. The problem is that you might be allowing an endless stream of carefully presented images to influence how you feel about your own existence.

This becomes particularly dangerous when people use social media to fill emotional voids. Someone who feels neglected at home might begin searching for attention elsewhere. A married individual might reconnect with an old romantic interest and convince themselves that the conversations are harmless. Another person might become emotionally attached to someone they have never met because that individual provides the compliments and attention missing from their everyday life.

But every emotional connection has consequences when boundaries are ignored. A conversation that begins innocently can gradually become something that threatens an existing relationship, family stability, and years of accumulated trust. People sometimes underestimate how quickly private digital interactions can develop into emotional complications. They also underestimate the possibility that the person on the other side of the conversation might be carrying their own unresolved issues, expectations, and frustrations.

We need to understand that loneliness doesn’t automatically make somebody a bad person, and emotional struggles aren’t character defects. People experience depression, disappointment, heartbreak, and periods of isolation. There’s nothing shameful about needing companionship or wanting somebody to listen. The problem begins when individuals deliberately exploit another person’s vulnerability, manufacture emotional dependency, or use affection as a tool to gain access to their money, property, relationships, or personal resources.

THE DARK SIDE OF HUMAN NATURE DOESN’T NEED A COSTUME

Sometimes we imagine evil as something obvious. We expect dangerous individuals to look frightening, speak aggressively, or behave in ways that immediately expose their intentions. But the reality of human deception is much more complicated. Some people who cause tremendous harm are capable of appearing generous, polite, respectable, and completely ordinary in public.

We’ve all heard stories about individuals who were admired throughout their neighborhoods because they helped elderly residents, assisted struggling families, and appeared to be wonderful community members. Yet behind closed doors, they were involved in conduct that contradicted everything people believed about them. Those stories remind us that public reputation and private character aren’t always the same thing.

I’ve seen how environments that appear ordinary can contain complicated systems of exploitation. During my years working in correctional facilities, I learned that even highly controlled environments develop their own social structures, informal economies, alliances, and power relationships. Most days might follow a routine, but underneath that routine, people are still dealing with ambition, resentment, manipulation, greed, and the desire to gain an advantage over somebody else. Those same elements exist in the outside world, although the surroundings and methods may look different.

Social media has simply provided another environment where these behaviors can operate. A person can maintain one profile for family and friends, another for romantic interests, and perhaps another identity for observing people without being recognized. They can present different versions of themselves to different audiences while keeping those identities separated. By the time somebody discovers the deception, the individual may already have established relationships and collected information that makes the situation much more difficult to untangle.

We need to stop assuming that somebody is trustworthy because they have a respectable occupation, attend religious services, dress well, own an expensive vehicle, or speak in a pleasant manner. Those things might tell you something about their lifestyle, but they don’t automatically reveal their character. Integrity is demonstrated through consistent behavior, accountability, honesty, and the way somebody treats others when there’s nothing obvious to gain.

THE DARK WEB AND THE HIDDEN DEPTHS OF CYBERSPACE

There’s another part of the internet that deserves attention, particularly when discussing privacy, exploitation, and the misuse of personal information. Most people are familiar with the websites and applications they visit every day, but the internet extends beyond the familiar pages that appear in ordinary searches. There are private networks, hidden services, illegal marketplaces, and other environments that can be used for activities far removed from everyday online communication.

I sometimes compare the internet to the ocean. When we look at the surface of the water, we see what appears to be the entire world. But beneath that surface are enormous depths that most people never explore and may never fully understand. The comparison helps explain why the visible internet shouldn’t be mistaken for the whole digital environment.

The dark web isn’t simply another social media platform, and not everything associated with it is automatically criminal. However, certain hidden services have been used for illegal marketplaces, stolen personal information, fraudulent transactions, and other forms of exploitation. When private information is stolen or exposed, the consequences can extend far beyond the original incident. Financial accounts, personal identities, and private communications can become targets for people who know how to exploit that information.

This is why digital privacy matters even when you believe you have nothing to hide. You don’t need to be involved in questionable activities to become a victim of somebody else’s criminal behavior. Strong passwords, two-factor authentication, careful handling of personal information, and awareness of suspicious links and messages are practical forms of protection. Your digital identity is part of your personal life, and it deserves the same attention you would give to protecting your home and possessions.

THE MOST DANGEROUS DECEPTION CAN TAKE YEARS TO REVEAL ITSELF

Now I want to discuss something that I believe should make every parent, especially those raising children, stop and think. Sometimes the most dangerous individuals aren’t the ones who approach your family with an obviously suspicious attitude. Sometimes they’re the ones who work exceptionally hard to become indispensable.

I know of a disturbing situation involving a woman who met a man through social media. At the time, he was experiencing housing difficulties, although he was employed and trying to rebuild his circumstances. He presented himself as a considerate, hardworking individual who took pride in handling his own responsibilities. He appeared uncomfortable with the idea of depending on a woman for assistance, and that apparent sense of personal responsibility made him seem particularly admirable.

After communicating for a while, they eventually developed a relationship. She offered him a place to stay because she didn’t want somebody she cared about sleeping outside when she had the ability to help. Her mother was older and needed assistance, and the man gradually became involved in the household. He contributed financially, helped with daily responsibilities, assisted with transportation, and appeared to be a dependable presence. He also developed what seemed to be a loving relationship with the children.

From the outside, everything appeared to be working beautifully. The woman was happy, the household seemed peaceful, and the children appeared comfortable around this new adult in their lives. He even presented himself publicly as a caring family man. Photographs showed him smiling with the children, and nothing about those images would have suggested the horror that was taking place behind the appearance of domestic happiness.

But eventually, the truth emerged. The man was arrested after it was discovered that he had sexually abused the children. The very individual who had worked so hard to establish himself as a trustworthy member of the household had been concealing an appalling intention. The photographs that once appeared to represent a happy family connection became painful reminders of how thoroughly he had deceived the people who trusted him.

I cannot imagine the emotional devastation that situation brought to that family. The children deserved protection, safety, and the freedom to enjoy their childhood without having their trust violated by an adult who had been welcomed into their home. The mother had opened her household to somebody she believed was a blessing, only to discover that the person she trusted had become a source of unimaginable harm.

This is why I keep emphasizing that good behavior alone isn’t proof of good intentions. Somebody can contribute money, help with household responsibilities, smile for photographs, and say all the right things while concealing an entirely different purpose. That’s not a reason to distrust every person who offers assistance or wants to become part of a family. It’s a reason to establish boundaries, protect children, verify what can be verified, and never allow a new relationship to bypass the safeguards that exist to protect vulnerable people.

No adult should automatically receive unsupervised access to children simply because they’ve become romantically involved with a parent. Children need to be listened to, their discomfort must be taken seriously, and their safety must never become secondary to an adult’s desire to maintain a relationship. A parent doesn’t have to prove that somebody is dangerous before establishing reasonable protective boundaries. Protecting children is enough of a reason.

STOP JUDGING THE WORLD BY THE CONDITION OF YOUR OWN MIND

One of the greatest mistakes we make is assuming that everybody thinks the way we do. Because we wouldn’t deliberately steal from somebody, we sometimes struggle to understand how another person could do it without feeling guilty. Because we wouldn’t manipulate a romantic partner, we assume somebody else would find that behavior equally unacceptable. Because we wouldn’t betray a close friend, we might never imagine that somebody we trust could be quietly working against us.

But our personal standards aren’t universal standards. The fact that something would never cross your mind doesn’t mean somebody else hasn’t already planned it. There are people who will lie without hesitation, manipulate without remorse, and take advantage of opportunities that you would never consider exploiting. Some people are willing to wait until the circumstances are favorable before revealing their real intentions.

That’s why relationships need time. You cannot establish somebody’s entire character through a few conversations, a handful of photographs, or a wonderful first impression. You need to observe how they handle disappointment, disagreements, responsibility, money, boundaries, and situations where they don’t get their way. You need to see whether their actions remain consistent when the excitement of a new relationship begins to disappear.

A person who genuinely respects you shouldn’t be offended by reasonable boundaries. They shouldn’t demand immediate access to your home, finances, children, private information, or personal relationships. They should understand that trust is something that develops through demonstrated conduct. Anybody who constantly pressures you to move faster than you’re comfortable moving deserves a closer look.

And don’t forget that manipulation doesn’t always involve romance. Somebody might approach you because you have money, a vehicle, a comfortable home, useful connections, professional knowledge, or a platform that can benefit them. Another person might want access to your audience, your reputation, or the opportunities you’ve worked years to establish. Their interest might look like friendship, but the underlying motivation could be entirely transactional.

THE PEOPLE WHO DRAIN YOUR PEACE

There’s a particular kind of relationship that leaves you feeling exhausted even when nothing obviously dramatic has happened. You spend time with somebody, exchange messages, and participate in conversations, but afterward you notice that you’re mentally drained. You might find yourself questioning your decisions, defending your character, explaining things that shouldn’t require explanation, or feeling responsible for emotions that don’t belong to you.

I call attention to this because people sometimes underestimate the effect that unhealthy relationships can have on their emotional well-being. Not every difficult interaction represents deliberate manipulation, and not everybody struggling with personal problems is attempting to harm you. But there are individuals who repeatedly create conflict, disregard boundaries, demand constant attention, and use guilt or intimidation to maintain control over others.

You might find yourself adjusting your entire day around their moods. You begin anticipating their reactions before making ordinary decisions. You hesitate before expressing an opinion because you don’t want another argument. Eventually, you might become so accustomed to the tension that you forget what peaceful relationships are supposed to feel like.

This is where self-awareness becomes extremely important. You have to recognize what happens to your thinking and emotional state when you’re around certain individuals. Are you becoming more confident, balanced, and productive, or are you constantly anxious, distracted, and emotionally exhausted? Are your boundaries being respected, or are you repeatedly being pressured to abandon them?

I sometimes describe the need for emotional and spiritual protection as wearing a spiritual condom. It’s a humorous expression, but the message is serious. You need boundaries that help prevent other people’s destructive behavior from becoming your responsibility. You can show compassion without surrendering your peace. You can listen without becoming somebody’s emotional punching bag. You can care about another person without allowing them unlimited access to your time, attention, and personal life.

KEEP YOUR FILTERS CLEAN

Something I’ve learned through life is that your ability to recognize trouble depends partly on the condition of your own mind. When you’re constantly angry, emotionally exhausted, distracted by gossip, or consumed by somebody else’s drama, you may overlook things that deserve your attention. You might see a warning sign but dismiss it because you’re too preoccupied with another problem.

Think about trying to look at a beautiful picture while standing so close that your nose is practically touching it. You can see individual details, but you cannot appreciate the complete image. Sometimes you have to step backward before the larger picture becomes clear. Life works in a similar way. An encounter that seems unrelated to another event might eventually reveal a pattern when you take the time to examine everything from a little distance.

That’s why I believe in beginning each day with a personal examination. Before you allow the world to fill your head with its noise, take a moment to settle yourself. Think about what matters, what you’re trying to accomplish, and what kind of energy you want to bring into your interactions. Whether you approach that through prayer, meditation, quiet reflection, or simply spending time in nature, the important thing is to create enough mental space to recognize what’s happening around you.

Intuition can be valuable, but it should work alongside observation and sound judgment. A feeling that something isn’t right deserves attention, but it shouldn’t automatically become proof that somebody has done something wrong. Look for patterns, examine behavior, verify important information, and don’t ignore clear evidence simply because you want a situation to work out. Your intuition can alert you to investigate, while your judgment helps you decide what to do next.

I’ve found that spending more time away from constant crowds and unnecessary noise can help a person become more reflective. When you’re no longer reacting to every notification, every argument, and every new controversy, you have more room to understand yourself. You begin to recognize which relationships genuinely add something meaningful to your life and which ones simply consume your attention.

YOUR FAMILY IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

There’s something else we must never lose sight of, and that’s our responsibility to protect the people who depend on us. Parents don’t need a special certification to understand that their children deserve protection. It’s a natural responsibility, and it shouldn’t disappear simply because another adult enters the household and presents themselves as trustworthy.

We need to be willing to ask questions, establish rules, and make decisions that might disappoint somebody who wants immediate access to our family. If a new romantic partner has a problem with reasonable safeguards involving children, that’s a serious concern. If a person repeatedly attempts to isolate a child, demands secrecy, or discourages communication with parents, those behaviors need to be addressed immediately.

We also need to stop allowing attractive appearances and impressive lifestyles to override our judgment. Somebody might have a wonderful job, a beautiful home, expensive clothing, and a charming personality. None of those things automatically establish their moral character. The same applies to people who appear religious, politically conscious, socially responsible, or deeply concerned about the community. What matters is whether their actions support the image they’re presenting.

And when something genuinely concerning happens, don’t ignore it to protect the appearance of a relationship. Listen to children. Take disclosures seriously. Seek professional assistance when necessary, and contact appropriate authorities when there are reasonable grounds to suspect abuse or exploitation. Protecting somebody’s reputation should never become more important than protecting a vulnerable person.

SOCIAL MEDIA IS A TOOL, BUT YOU MUST REMAIN IN CONTROL

I don’t believe the answer is to abandon every social media platform. These technologies can connect families across continents, help independent creators establish businesses, introduce people to useful information, and give ordinary individuals a voice that previous generations could only dream about having. I’ve personally experienced the value of being able to communicate ideas, publish commentary, and connect with people who might otherwise never encounter my work.

But we need to stop pretending that convenience automatically equals safety. Every platform has its own privacy settings, communication features, reporting tools, and potential vulnerabilities. Users need to understand how those features work instead of blindly accepting every default setting. You should know who can contact you, who can see your location, what information is publicly available, and what steps you can take if somebody begins harassing or threatening you.

We also need to become more thoughtful about what we publish. Not every vacation needs to be announced while you’re away from home. Not every family disagreement needs to become public entertainment. Not every financial achievement needs to be displayed for strangers to examine. Not every personal disappointment needs to be handed to an audience that may include people who don’t genuinely care about your well-being.

Your life doesn’t become more valuable because more people can see it. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is enjoy something without broadcasting it. Let your family have experiences that don’t require an audience. Build relationships that don’t depend on public approval. Develop accomplishments that don’t need constant validation. The more comfortable you become with your private life, the less pressure you’ll feel to expose every part of yourself to the digital world.

FINAL THOUGHTS: DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE DAMAGE IS DONE

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: social media has too many strange spirits. There are people who are genuinely good, people who are struggling, people who are confused, and people who are deliberately deceptive. The challenge is that they can all appear on the same screen, sometimes using the same language, sharing the same interests, and presenting themselves in remarkably similar ways. You cannot always know what you’re dealing with during the first conversation, and sometimes even a long period of familiarity doesn’t tell you everything you need to know.

That’s why you must take your time. Don’t allow loneliness, attraction, curiosity, financial pressure, or the excitement of a new friendship to make decisions that require patience and careful judgment. Let people demonstrate their character through consistent actions. Protect your children, protect your personal information, and establish boundaries that reflect the value you place on your household and your peace of mind. You don’t owe everybody immediate access to your life simply because they have shown you attention.

Remember that self-care isn’t just about eating properly, exercising, getting enough rest, and maintaining your physical appearance. It’s also about protecting your mental space, examining your relationships, and refusing to become consumed by unnecessary conflict. Spend time with yourself. Learn what makes you happy without requiring another person’s approval. Become comfortable enough in your own company that somebody else’s manufactured affection doesn’t immediately become irresistible.

And when something doesn’t feel right, don’t force yourself to remain in a situation simply because you’ve already invested time, money, emotions, or personal trust. You can change your mind. You can establish distance. You can walk away. You can decide that somebody who once appeared suitable for your life no longer deserves the privilege of being close to you. Sometimes the smartest decision isn’t to investigate every suspicious situation until it becomes a disaster. Sometimes the smartest decision is to recognize that the potential consequences aren’t worth the risk.

Above everything else, keep your filters clean and your judgment sharp. Whether you call it God, the Most High, divine guidance, or simply the wisdom that comes from living and observing the world, make room for reflection in your daily life. Don’t allow the constant noise of social media to drown out your ability to think clearly. The world doesn’t need you to become paranoid, but it certainly doesn’t need you to become careless. There are good people worth knowing, meaningful relationships worth developing, and wonderful experiences worth having. Just make sure that the people you allow into your life have demonstrated that they respect what you’ve worked so hard to build.

Because the greatest danger isn’t always the stranger who approaches you with an obvious warning sign. Sometimes it’s the individual who learns exactly what you need, becomes exactly what you want, and earns exactly the trust you’ve been waiting to give. By the time you discover the difference between the person they presented and the person they really are, the damage might already be done. Don’t wait for that moment to understand the importance of protecting yourself. Be aware, be discerning, protect your family, and never surrender your peace just because somebody knows how to smile.

Much love to you all. Keep your filters clean, stay grounded, and remember that not everybody who wants to get close to you deserves the privilege. This is LanceScurv, and I’ll continue speaking on the subjects that others might prefer to avoid. Brutally honest, opinionated commentary.

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SOCIAL MEDIA HAS TOO MANY STRANGE SPIRITS