A Simple Click That Made Everything Click
By: dR. shaun wehle
You may be the recipient of a recent outreach for new followers on Facebook. If that’s you, welcome to the party! If you’re a longtime follower, this one’s also for you!
Pillars recently hired someone to take a more active role in our marketing and asked that we reach out to our friends group to invite them to follow our page. I took the opportunity to invite friends and family to follow Pillars of Wellness, which I hadn’t done broadly before. It’s just a page like, right? No big deal. But I (a perpetual overthinker) went through the process and realized more and more that this was more than just growing a social media presence. It became an unexpected reflection on my relationships, my past, and the role of community in personal and professional success.
Who Would Care?
At first, I “overthought” it. Who might actually be interested? Who might engage? Who would follow just to support me, even if they never interacted with a single post? I started carefully selecting people, considering whether the request made sense for them. But as I scrolled through my contacts, the process became something more personal.
Some names I didn’t even recognize. Others stopped me in my tracks—people I had lost over the years. I almost sent the invite to my dad, regardless of the fact that he passed away years ago. And after writing this, I went ahead and sent it anyway. Seeing old friends who were no longer here reminded me how fleeting time is. As I continued inviting people, I found myself reflecting on all the people who had supported me, past and present.
Letting Go of Selectiveness
The longer I did it, the less selective I became. I started making excuses for why people might be interested, convincing myself they wouldn’t be bothered by it. And after sending the invites, I saw the notifications—new followers, familiar names.
The thought I gave to page invitations before was mostly around whether it might be a nuisance or just #cringe. When others asked me to follow something, I’d usually glance at it and think, Is this relevant to me? I never really considered whether they had hesitated before asking, mostly assuming they just did a mass invite without thinking through whether they were hoping for a small show of support.
But seeing the people who chose to follow Pillars of Wellness made me feel sentimental. I was grateful for the likes, but I was moved by the thought that people were willing to click a button, even if it meant seeing posts they might not care about. It made me miss those who weren’t here to see this chapter of my life, and it deepened my gratitude for those who have been cheering me on since I was just a snot-nosed kid.
The Struggle to Ask for Help
I’m not great at asking for help. I love helping others, especially when I can solve tough problems, but asking for anything—whether it’s shoes, a coat, or a Facebook follow—still makes me feel like a burden.
It reminded me of a lesson I learned in high school, one I still struggle with today.
I was about to go on a mission trip, and I was rocking my infamous shandals. These were basically shoes that had completely fallen apart. Instead of just having a toe poking through, I leaned into their brokenness, cutting out the ruined fabric and turning them into what I jokingly called “shandals” (a hybrid of shoes and sandals). My mom, a widow, couldn’t afford to buy much of anything, and I didn’t think much of material possessions, probably because I just stole most of my clothes from my big brother.
While prepping for the mission trip, a kid from another church—someone I didn’t even know—noticed my shoes and asked about them. I laughed and explained the shandal concept, but I was also honest: I didn’t really have money for new ones.
The next day, he bought me a brand-new pair. I was mortified. I tried to refuse, telling him I was fine, that my shandals were actually kind of cool. But he stopped me and said, “Don’t steal my blessing.” He reminded me that sometimes, it’s better to give than to receive—that generosity isn’t just about the person in need, but also about the act of giving itself.
I took the shoes, and I tried to take the lesson. But even now, I struggle with it.
A Simple Thank You
So for every act of kindness—the donated coats, the free meals, a place to stay, financial support, the shoes I didn’t ask for, and yes, even the clicks—I wouldn’t be where I am without the generosity of others.
So, to anyone who has ever supported me, whether by following Pillars of Wellness, offering a kind word, a positive review, believing in me, or simply cheering me on—thank you. While I still struggle to ask for help, I’m hopeful one day it will finally click!