The lost art of language…

Ring. Riiiinnnng.  What is that noise?  Oh, my phone is ringing.  I don’t have time to talk to that person.  Let me hit ignore.  Maybe they will text me later.  Does this sound familiar?  I am tired of being ignored.  That’s right.  It’s me doing the calling because I don’t text.  I actually like to chat for a minute.  Does anyone remember those days?  You could call your friend on the telephone and talk for hours.  I could tell by the sound of her voice how she was feeling that day.  When I started dating someone I really liked, I would call them just to hear their voice.  I liked to hear the way they sounded.  I still do.

In today’s fast paced society, we have mutilated the English language into a series of strange abbreviations.  I remember trying to keep up with it all…LMAO.  With the rise of instant messages, e-mail, and other popular ways of “talking”, people have forgotten their manners.  Texting was something that was supposed to be quick and easy.  Not whole paragraphs and conversations that are taking place daily.  Words can have a two-way meaning this way.  Well, what does he mean by that?  Does he like me or is he just blowing me off?  Does he really have somewhere to be or is he just ignoring me?  The best way to find out is to call him and stop texting.  That’s right.  Call and ask what is going on.  I know this is a novel concept, but how well do you really know someone.  Do you know the way their voice sounds when they are trying to hide something?  Can you tell if they are happy to hear from you just by answering the phone?  Are they truly excited to get your call or were they trying to blow you off like you think?

Conversation is at an all time low.  Go out to dinner and see how many people are texting at the table with their friends right in front of them.  What is that about anyway?  How rude would that have been 10 years ago?  It is still rude now.  Step away from your hand-held devices and engage in real life.  We are not avatars leading a double life.  You don’t get another chance if you mess this one up.  I’m not even talking about how dangerous it is to text and drive; although, that is pretty stupid as well.  I am talking about the fact that the person sitting right there in front of you could have something really important to say, but you are missing out on body language or verbal cues that you would have picked up on had you been paying attention.  There is nothing as ignorant looking as a co-worker walking down the hall, not even looking up from her phone and texting someone the whole time.  Be present and accountable.  You are letting your life pass you by while your head is down and you are stuck making up words like LOL.  Why don’t you really laugh out loud with your friends?  Seriously.  It would relieve some of your stress as well.  Let go of the phone for a lunch period and just give it a try.  Turn it off.  Take baby steps to becoming more involved in your life this year.  Ask your significant other to do the same thing when you go out to dinner.  You will be surprised at what you find out.

I remember the days I would stay up all night long talking to my future husband.  In the morning, I didn’t want him to go.  Some nights we would talk about important things, and others it would be nothing at all.  But it was the best nothing I have ever talked about.  No interruptions.  I can always tell when something is on his mind even when he doesn’t say anything.

“I love talking about nothing.  It is the only thing I know anything about.”  ~Oscar Wilde

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