“People have entire relationships via text message now, but I am not partial to texting. I need context, nuance and the warmth and tone that can only come from a human voice.” Danielle Steel
Text messaging has become the easy go-to. After all, a little text can lead you to lunch with a friend or dinner with your sweetheart. Text is convenient and quick without too much time involved; I get it. It is the efficient way to say let’s do this!
While I am at it, I do not care for group texts full of intermittent chiming in over inconsequential matters, ping, ping, ping, pass. The whole group thing I find interruptive and annoying. I usually respond to the sender individually.
The list of never-ever to say over text#@!
- The end of a relationship or marriage. Whoever your partner is, you can take a moment to call or sit down like a big girl and tell them what you need to say in honesty and love. If you end a marriage bitter, with no closure, via text, you will have a hard time moving on. Ghosting is the lowest form of sending a message. I understand that silence can be required if the person you are distancing yourself from will argue, become irrational, or worse, violent. In most cases, the better you can communicate through the end of a marriage, the better off you are for your next relationship. My friend’s husband ghosted her into divorce papers, which was totally uncool.
- You are fired. Firing someone is not something to do over text. Unless your position was less than a week and you landed your job over text. Words and moments are learning tools to pass along. One should be able to ask why they are being fired so that they may have a take-a-way. People can and do affect people; let’s let go with respect.
- A family member has died. Who in their right mind would pass along such news over text? When a family member dies, a phone call should be made. To look at your phone like you do for many texts every day concerning inconsequential matters to have a text of the news of loss fall in after your lunch date seems harsh. My daughter lost an Aunt suddenly she was close to. Getting the word over text sent her reeling. She deserved a phone call; everyone does.
- An accident happened. Never inform a loved one that a horrific accident has happened over text. Like death, job loss, or the end of a relationship, respect should be foremost on being the bearer of bad news.
- You had an affair. Do not confess via text! I mean, shady is shady, but if you want to crawl out of this whole thing with an ounce of integrity, man up. Or woman up. It is time to use your words with love. No one can do better or understand or forgive if you are not going to be forthright.
My Mantra: “When we know better, we do better, know better, the rest will follow.”
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