People First
The book I am reading for the launch team arrived in the mail this weekend. I was excited to see that it is a pretty thin book…which means my likelihood of finishing it is higher.
I love to start books. I’ll just leave it at that.
In our online launch group, the coordinator posted this:
Having read about 1/3 of the book so far, I know that this is in reference to the fact that sometimes we sit across from people and stare down at our phones.
Which certainly is not best.
But when I first saw this image, it made me think... How many of my interactions with people are actually WITH PEOPLE? Face to face. Where I see your eyes and hear your voice.
On the flip side, how much of my interaction time is “electronic”? I “like” your cute photos on Instagram. I text you. But I rarely see you.
Phone first interaction.
These waters are a bit hard for me to navigate. ALL of my immediate family lives 1,000 miles away. Texting is my lifeline. BUT nothing compares to driving to the airport to pick up my brother or sister and giving them that first big hug in months. Nothing compares to cousins sleeping on the floor together watching movies to fall asleep.
Just like nothing compares to holding a friend’s new born baby. Or meeting up at the park for a walk. Or having friends over to pick sweet corn and laugh together. Face to Face. People first.
I want more than phone-friends. I want real-life, living and breathing, people-friends.
Arlene does a take on Ecclesiastes 3 in her book. I love these few lines:
“There is a time for everything technological, And a season for every activity under your roof: A time to text and a time for long conversation, A time to install apps and a time to uninstall apps,
A time to limit and a time to use,
A time for Facebook and a time to shut Facebook down A time for Skype and a time for getting on an airplane.”
I want to see more faces and fewer screens. But that only happens when I decide to be intentional. I have to ask. I have to impose. I have to learn when to put down the phone and see you rather than text you. So let's maybe grab lunch, or coffee, or go for a walk. I'll come hold your baby or bring you sweet corn (so much sweet corn!). And I'll see you soon.
Just let me text you the time.
