Instagram once felt like a place to share glimpses of life. A meal, a walk, a moment in nature. Over time, it’s shifted into something else — a stage. Now, it’s not just about sharing. It’s about curating, performing, and playing the role of a self that others will recognize.

And now, the curtain never falls. The algorithms ask for constant output. The stage is our living room, our breakfast, our walk in the woods. What was once a persona reserved for a moment has seeped into the daily fabric of who we think we are.

I constantly read about the negative impacts caused by social media, and I have a feeling you do, too.  It causes depression.  It's fake.  People are buying their followers.  There's an ongoing movement for people to give social media the finger.

But I'm not riding that train, and this blog post is not about that.  Today I am focusing on why I love Instagram, and how I credit the platform for being one of the most profound and beneficial influencers of my life.

Long ago, I was sitting in a cold dark office (literally it had no windows, and would blow cold air from the vent).