Thursday, November 17, 2011

Direction

Yesterday on my drive home from work, I got a phone call from a friend (my cell phone rang, and I put it up to my ear and someone was talking to me, and I was talking back, weird) and we had a nice short chat about an artistic prospect and a volcano cake.

I emailed another friend this morning. Even though she has facebook and I could have posted what I wanted to say on her wall, I composed a legitimate gmail about autumn leaves and I sent it to her.

Ryan has friends who occasionally show up unannounced at our back door.

I think it's weird that these things seem notable, but the way I (and I know I'm not alone in this) generally communicate these days has become a bit impersonal. I have always been a person who enjoys attention (I'm the baby of my family...I really can't help it), so even a "like" on a facebook status or picture will give me warm & fuzzies, but there's something about the feeling of being sought out and thoughtfully considered that trumps being noticed in an electronic sea of everyone someone has ever known.

This isn't a novel concept. But for some reason putting a little more substance into the universe feels liberating to me, and receiving feedback is wonderfully comforting, especially in the cold, dark months when it seems like face time is harder to fit in organically.

So, I challenge you to do something direct today to make someone else feel good. If you can't think of anything, feel free to bring me some chocolate. I have a feeling my over-sentimental attitude and the intense craving for dark, delicious goodness might be related.

6 comments:

  1. I completely agree with your observations and appreciate you sharing them. I confess I feel so inconvenienced when I actually have to CALL someone. Oh life is so hard.
    But, as you have noticed, I am particularly fond of supporting the postal service. :) Thanks Kaylene Allison

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  2. YES! You and the USPS are good friends and I love that about you. I also loathe calling people. Frankly I don't even like answering the phone when they call me, but it makes me happy that they've called, just the same :)

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  3. Exactly why I quite facebook. It was so impersonal. If I am willing to post something on my wall just because I know a few people will get it, why not just send that thing to those people?
    And just so you know, the Weezer Pandora station is the best thing to happen to me in a while. I encourage you to try it.

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  4. Thanks, Chelsea!! I've been itching for something new to feed to my ears lately.

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  5. For a long time, I've wanted to sit down and write every single one of my friends a real, personal, thoughtful handwritten letter. The superficiality of social media doesn't do justice to my friendships, even the online ones.

    Thank you for reminding me of that. I needed it.

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  6. Megan, let's exchange addresses so that one day we may get around to sending each other crap!

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