Yes, I know. I know. But what if…
It’s
someone who rarely calls and I want to talk to them. Or…
It’s an answer to a (non-medical and not from a doctor) question I’ve been waiting for.
Or…
It’s
one of my kids just wanting to chat. Or…
’NUFF with the “ORs,”--- these really can wait because there’s
a live human being you are with, as in NOW.
I have few friends who agree and fewer who act as I do.
So, what do I do? With some of the above I send a
one-sentence text saying I will respond later unless this is an emergency. So
far, it only qualified as such once, and that is to this day my one exception.
I go one further and usually go for walks by myself sans
phone. This is more than being present because I’m with a live human being
other than myself; it’s about being with the human being that is me.
I suppose this sounds radical to many. I am blessed in the
sense that I grew up in days of yore and have an idea of what life without phone-slavery
is like, and I have little fear of keeping that aspect present in my life now.
You do you. I post this just as a wee consideration.
7 comments:
I’m with you, i.e., be with the person, not the phone. I had a friend who always answered her phone while we were out hiking and conversing. One of her sons would call—not an emergency—and she would engage with him instead of me. I never said how annoyed I felt; I just stopped hiking with her.
I will always hike with you, MirkaK, and also appreciate your advice
Yes, the gift of presence. So many people have forgotten it. Thank you.
I agree about being with the person who is there and not answering the phone or replying to a text (except when it's time sensitive). I dislike call waiting for this reason; the person who answers call waiting is obviously prioritizing the other call over the person she is talking to now.
Someone once put Call Waiting in its place: it's last come first serve. Rather rude, ey?
I agree with you almost completely, with 2 exceptions that are specific to my own situation: 1. I fell and broke my leg while walking so I do take my phone with me everywhere (including the bathroom) which is the recommendation for seniors, but that doesn't mean that I need to answer calls. The other has to do with living in a war zone and needing to be alerted about a missile attack.
Hava, your two exceptions are spot-on. You are also the one who taught *me* how to live with and put the brakes on a smart phone when I came to have one years after you did.👍🏻
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