My best friend from childhood won’t take my emails. But she will take my calls. I had gotten into the habit of emailing her, but she wouldn’t stand for it. She returned my emails by telephone. I had to get re-familiarized with talking on the phone (which I had done for at least 45 years before electronic communication became the norm), but you know, it was much more gratifying than reading typed words. Plus, I got to hear her husband shouting comments over her shoulder. You don’t get that from an email.
She’s right, though. So much is lost in the translation when communication is done with your fingers. You miss the laughter, the sighs, the happiness, the joy, the sadness (and family members’ comments from the background). You can guess at the other person’s mood by the words you’re reading, but you can also easily miss the nuances of a conversation—or even take offense at a comment, when no offense was intended. It’s all about the tone.
Texting/inboxing/IMing/emailing comes in handy for quick chats, but when you don’t see a friend or relative regularly, as my BFF says, “pick up the phone!” If you’re spending time going back and forth texting with a person, it’s obvious that you’re interested in the conversation, so why not hear his or her voice while you’re at it?
Electronic communication has its place, but it also eliminates the old-school, relaxing, sip-your-coffee-while-chatting element. Talking on the phone to a good friend is like taking a free vacation. Who would pass up a free vacation?
Patsy Porco's Blog: Free and Worth It! 