Being able to say Good morning to your spouse, family, neighbors, and friends is one of the most important things you can do first thing in the morning especially if they’re living in your presence.
Time’s change, people change and life changes, we all know that. It used to be the morning paper would be at the door and most of your neighbors would be happy and cheerful with their good mornings and wish you a good day. The children in the neighborhood would be on their bikes or trying to catch the bus for school walking and talking to their friends on the way and some of our family members living just down the street would visit frequently.
Technology has changed 80% percent of the way we all interact in today’s age. I think we can all agree though that technology has changed the world for the better, well we are also reminded that some technology (meaning our cell phones) makes us rely on it for just about everything, the worst! cell phones for some of us have taken the place of human interaction.
Sadly a friend coming to the door for morning coffee or visiting the local coffee shop are almost a thing of the past. we’d hear about our local news and the latest happenings in town all while enjoying our friends and families company in the process. Now we do this on our phones, yes it’s convenient but I think you get the picture.
Although it’s important to let each and every one of your loved ones and the people you care about know that you are thinking of them by a short text or a phone call, do so at appropriate times. Setting times for cell phone use should be discussed ahead of time with all of your family members so no one feels neglected by anyone.
It makes me sad to see teenage interaction nowadays, have you ever seen a group of teenagers on vacation or setting at the dining room table or they all plan an outing and the end up at their planned destination and they’re not even speaking with each other at all. They’re missing the scenery, taking pictures, texting and looking at their social media, all the while ignoring their friends and the scenery around them
Here’s a sad but familiar scenario, your significant other is standing there staring at their partner on a vacation while he/she has done nothing but interact with everyone on their phone about their vacation leaving their partner to be standing there alone feeling isolated and rejected, possibly thinking to themselves that they may as well went alone. The person behaving like this may not realize they’re doing this and it’s up to you to bring it to their attention and if it continues, we all know where that relationship is heading.
No one is scolding anyone here I am simply stating we should all be careful of other peoples feelings and to practice phone etiquette. We may not even realize we are doing harm unless a person expresses their feelings and when they do, please listen, they are hurting and it’s perfectly normal for them to be hurt by such behavior.
Here are some examples of how the person in your presence may feel about the use of your use phone in their presence.
- Your loved one see’s that this device is more important to you than their company
- They may feel ignored, neglected and unimportant
- This person feels rejected, like your presence is not as exciting as their phone, OUCH, that’s a hurtful one.
- Think of how this person may feel (especially) if you are paying for a nice dinner for two of you and the other person is on their phone the whole time. you may not be asked out again, could you blame them?
Here are some ways you can use phone time in an appropriate manner that may not cause hurt feelings
- Agree ahead of time on your cell phone time
- If checking in with a friend who may be sick or in need, let the person in your presence know that you may have to take a quick call or send a text.
- When dealing with your partner, family friends or other person’s in your presence, simply agree upon what is acceptable phone use and what times are not.
- Common sense, be considerate
Remember you don’t always have to be connected to your phone, although yes there may be times when you are in a crisis, in this case, it’s perfectly acceptable to break the rules.
Good luck and reconnect with family, friends and loved ones, it may even make your relationships better, that can’t hurt, can it.
God bless and keep up the good work.