By Toma Lynn Smith
“Steve proposed to me on top of the Sears Tower!” was what my step-sister told me. Wait a minute, it was a text she sent to my cell, not what she actually told me. Some things you simply shouldn’t text to people, especially important or exciting news to a family member.
Texting cannot replace communication via telephone or in person. Just because the majority of people have cell phones does not mean they have them completely charged and on 24/7. The amount of cell phone use, especially with texting, varies dramatically from person to person.
Cell phones are fun and convenient, but they can be abused or over used.
For example, my other sister told me that sometimes at her house, if she’s in the living room, her husband is in the bedroom and their teenage son is his room, and they will text each other while they’re all under the same roof. Damn that AT&T, this is breaking down communication between people. By the way, my sister and her family are fitness freaks, so they’re far from lazy.
But if we must use our cellular gadgets instead of smoke signals, here are some suggestions:
4DO send a text if you’re running behind to meet someone and you know your receiver doesn’t mind texting.
4DON’T send a text to someone who complains about it, honor their wishes and call them.
4DO send a shout out via text here and there to a person you have a romantic interest in, but
4DON’T do it often, as in anytime you have a free moment.
4DO ask yourself before you send the text, “Would I like this if I received this via text?”
4DON’T break up, notify of death, fire someone or give serious advice by text.
4DO send your buddies random jokes or thoughts, if you all share the same sense of humor, this can break up the monotony in the day.
I may be a hypocrite for writing this, because I probably break these rules from time to time or all the time. We must be considerate, however, and not abuse this form of communication.
