Old-Fashioned Communication

     I was sixteen.

     I knew it was wrong.

     But I did it anyway…I bought Cole’s Notes for a Shakespearean play I was supposed to read.

     I learned an important lesson that semester in English 101 – you miss the depth and richness that’s available to enjoy when you buy the “short version”. There was a lot I could have learned from ol’ William had I read the original text, but I cheated myself. I missed the author’s best and compromised with second-rate.

     We live in a Cole’s Notes world.

     Everything is the short version… the fast version… the instant version – we are missing the depths of real life!

     Surrounded by social networking, texting, email, voice messages and more; everything gets to us abbreviated. Sometimes my precious friendships even feel robbed of their potential when I only make time for a one-line update. Don’t get me wrong, I am thrilled with how many people I can stay connected with, but I don’t want it to be at the expense of those with whom I MUST stay connected.

     Short and sweet on a typed line with a friend, is an easy substitute for a real life discussion with my husband that is so needed.

     A quick text as a reminder may be more convenient, but it causes me to miss the sweet inflection of a voice I love to hear.

     A voice message is helpful in saving time, but I may never know that person needed prayer for something else today.

     How can we get off of Facebook and into a real book? How can we hear people’s stories in their entirety and not just the short versions? What do we need to do TODAY to be fully present where we are and embrace those we love?

     We live in a world of “get more done” and the communication conveniences we’re surrounded by are not about to disappear, but we can monitor them. We can choose to reach out for human contact even when there is an automated replacement available. And even more importantly, we can be sure to keep a magnifying glass focused in on the pulse of our most prized relationships.

“In your relationships with one another,

have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 2:5