FOMO or Fear of Missing Out

One of God’s greatest blessings is our two great-granddaughters. Our only complaint is we don’t see them often enough.

The oldest, Chloe, 8, is sweet, sociable, and has so much love and empathy. The three-year-old, Landyn, is strong-willed and misses nothing. Ask her where her neurons are, and she will quickly tell you “In my brain”. Her “neurons” are busy day and night. Her personality has led to what our grandson calls, FOMO, or “fear of missing out”. It is a term adapted by the internet and social media in 2004.

Those who have FOMO might think they are always missing out; that others have better lives, better homes, clothes, travels, etc.

Such is the case with our three-year-old great-granddaughter. If her dad is going to Home Depot for a bunch of bolts, she tags along.

Over Christmas we all stayed at a hotel for a holiday celebration. If anyone needed a sweater from their room, so did Landyn.

Our daughter, her grandmother, has a horse named Mosaic. We recently visited the family in Virginia and took both of the girls to see this very pampered Tennessee Walker. Chloe, the eldest immediately wanted to sit on “Mosaic’s back”. Surprisingly, Landyn wasn’t so sure. Then, came that look on her face, she might miss out. Once her tiny legs, which barely straddled the horses’ back were in place, her expression was priceless. She had conquered her fear! Her little hands gripped the reins, and a smile lit her face almost hidden beneath her warm pink cap. When “Cici” showed her how to brush the tail, she joined in. Barely tall enough to reach Mosaic’s underbelly, she picked up a brush and got to work.

Landyn can be literally exhausted, but sleep eludes her. Those big blue eyes will go nearly shut, until she hears the clang of a computer game.

FOMO made me think that perhaps those genes came from me.

I remember wanting to tag along wherever my dad was going. It really didn’t matter if it was for cow feed in Curryville, or a short trip to Furry’s Mill, I was ready to go. As I relayed this to my grandson, he smiled and said, “I’ve been where you grew up. Where did anyone go?”

I thought back over those long-ago years and remembered I rarely missed church or Sunday School at the Loysburg Methodist. There were people to talk to, songs to sing, things to do, it was a weekly event.

The Loysburg Grocery Store was another a treat. First in my memory was Bill Bayer. I can vaguely remember my fascination with the long hook he used to pull items from the top shelves. When the store became Ebersoles’, there was a loafing spot where farmers gathered to gossip; complain about the weather; or provide updates on the latest misfortunes in the community. Getting a Dixie Cup with a movie star lid from the ice cream freezer allowed me to eaves drop. I missed out on few of those conversations.

Best of all was the penny candy at the front counter. Warden Ebersole would put my choices into a small paper bag, and I had my doll groceries for the week. I especially remember the marshmallow peas and carrots.

There were the library books left by the bookmobile on a regular basis. I could choose a book; take it home and bring it back to exchange.

Eventually that store became a hardware store run by the Ebersole’s daughter, Thelma Steele.

Ebersole’s, son, Bob opened Ebersole’s IGA on the corner. No one missed that grand opening. Groceries were displayed on shelves along with magazines and an ice cream freezer full of treats. We took our eggs there every Friday evening and received dollars for groceries.

Rarely did I miss our Friday evening excursions to Loysburg to deliver milk to three widowed ladies. Today’s teens would think that was boring while I loved chatting with those women.

To this day, I have FOMO. If my husband has an errand to run and asks if I want to go along: Sure, why not? I might miss something if I stay home.

Just think, if I had not have been blessed with FOMO, I would not have been able to write this column. I think I was afflicted with FOMO long before it was even a concept.

Landyn, I get it! You just never know what you might miss. Keep it up little girl.