Remember the good old days when you got 1 LETTER, and that 1 letter you’d carefully reply with a well worded response? This is still how I view anything sent to me in written form, and if I feel I don’t have the time and energy that message deserves to be answered with, I don’t answer until said time and energy arrives.
Now, with our tracking within message apps to ensure someone has seen our message, I must often times refrain from opening a message, because if I do, the person watching that message thinks I am ignoring them (which I rightfully am allowed) and they start the annoying tirade of messages, ‘HELLO’ (MY ALL TIME FAVORITE BTW) ‘Did you see this’, a complete rewording of their first question, 10 more messages I have to answer, or the old timer favorite copy and RESEND.
Wow Sarah, you may say, ‘That’s rude’. Well let me explain to you why I just don’t think you’re right.
When I first got a phone, I watched it like a hawk because I knew anything coming through that was probably important. I was on call for my job, and besides family emergencies, that was all I ever got called about.
But then, I started texting this one person who would freak out if I didn’t respond right away. I was accused of many things during that period, and I found myself tied to my phone like a ball and chain. If I didn’t respond within a minute of the message being sent, I’d get another one saying I must be cheating or something to that effect. I turned off all message tracking in an effort to stop some of this, but it only got worse, the reality of how ridiculous it had gotten only hit me when I was out with my sister and had to start sending pictures of where I was so I’d stop being accused.
So maybe I’m a little burned, but maybe I just learned a valuable lesson as to not let somebody have that kind of power over me, to not feel guilty when someone tries to guilt trip me into answering and to allow myself the time required to come up with the answer that person deserves.
The reason I bring this forward is I see the tendencies within many throughout our modern day world, trapping our partners and friends in requiring an answer your every waking moment and thought. That is not a responsibility that should ever be put on anyone, especially if they don’t ask for it. Maybe talk about it with yourself first and see if it’s even worth bringing forward, then if it is, how about you use proper punctuation and spelling instead of flinging off messages halfheartedly. I get super distracted reading a message that looks like a five-year old sent it to me. If you’re upset and messaging in emotion, maybe take a moment and settle down before firing it off.
Communication is the fastest it’s ever been, but us humans still need to take time to THINK before we respond. So rest assured if you send me a message and it doesn’t get answered right away, that it will get answered with the best part of me in due time.
Maybe if we all allowed each other the time to put our best foot forward, who knows, maybe this world will be one step closer to a better place!
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