An orange box and on my soap box
Breaking News. This week I got a new phone and sent my very first text message. I'm a little behind like that. To be honest, this change is more like a surrender for me than anything else. And even though I participate (while dragging my feet!), I'm sorry to see the more personal ways of communicating becoming a thing of the past. It just seems that a lot of good is being forfeited for the sake of convenience. Good. like. this.
Have letters become a "remember when?" There is a whole orange box in our garage stuffed with letters. I'm not a fan of hanging on to stuff, but reading and rereading and then reading again and remembering and folding and unfolding...... I'm not ready to give that up. Actually, I have a great many a missionary letters here that I am willing to trade! My letters back for all of yours. Is that how it works? I realize as I look through this box that I was a very devout pen pal to a good number of Elders. Anyway................
I worked at Hallmark during summers home from school and then once again for a season when we were first married. As much as I loved that job, the "canned" cards always made me a little sad. The customer would make a special trip for a special someone for a special reason, only to send that special person the most generic of words. I just couldn't help but hope, as I sent those Gold Crown cards out the door, that what was wanting to be communicated was really being communicated. That probably sounds so harsh, but I hope that for myself every day, every time words come out of my mouth, or every time I make a facial expression, or even now, as I compose this post. I am constantly asking myself, is my message being received as I'm intending?
I guess that's the conflict I have with the convenience thing. It's great for getting the job done, but when we want to show someone we care about that we really care, that they are "worth our time," is that message going to be received when we don't take the time? And not just in real-time, but with quantity time.
Have letters become a "remember when?" There is a whole orange box in our garage stuffed with letters. I'm not a fan of hanging on to stuff, but reading and rereading and then reading again and remembering and folding and unfolding...... I'm not ready to give that up. Actually, I have a great many a missionary letters here that I am willing to trade! My letters back for all of yours. Is that how it works? I realize as I look through this box that I was a very devout pen pal to a good number of Elders. Anyway................
I worked at Hallmark during summers home from school and then once again for a season when we were first married. As much as I loved that job, the "canned" cards always made me a little sad. The customer would make a special trip for a special someone for a special reason, only to send that special person the most generic of words. I just couldn't help but hope, as I sent those Gold Crown cards out the door, that what was wanting to be communicated was really being communicated. That probably sounds so harsh, but I hope that for myself every day, every time words come out of my mouth, or every time I make a facial expression, or even now, as I compose this post. I am constantly asking myself, is my message being received as I'm intending?
I guess that's the conflict I have with the convenience thing. It's great for getting the job done, but when we want to show someone we care about that we really care, that they are "worth our time," is that message going to be received when we don't take the time? And not just in real-time, but with quantity time.
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