I bet that jingle sounds familiar. It was, after all, the theme song to Disney's hit show "Kim Possible" back in the early 2000s. If you're anywhere close to my age, then you probably remember what those times were like. It was the era a couple years before the iPhone completely took over our live—a time when the majority of us still had landlines and answering machines.
While I was pretty young back then, I still remember the rush of excitement that hit when I came home after school and dialed the number to my best friend's house. I didn't have a cell phone at the time, so I had crossed my fingers and hope that the phone line wasn't already in use. The thought seems impossible now, but at the time, it was my reality.
While I wouldn't trade the benefits of instant communication, I do miss some of the aspects from the past:
1. My phone used to actually ring.
Nowadays, it seems like the only numbers that frequently flash on my screen begin with 1-800 and end with "please-don't-call-again." When an actual call does come in, it's extremely rare that the conversation lasts more than five minutes. It's funny to think there was a time when I used to get into trouble for going over cell phone minutes. Today it seems like the primary feature, the phone was created for, is the one that's used the least.
2. If I lost all of my contacts today, I’d be completely baffled.
I can't remember the last time I had to actually memorize a phone number. I can honestly say it couldn't have been within the past five years. With present day technology, there isn't much need to record phone numbers to memory. While that's pretty convenient, we'd be in a lot of trouble if our contacts suddenly vanished without any way to recover them. What's even sadder is the fact that I wouldn't be too upset about it. At least ¾ of the names in my phone are people who I don't even communicate with. And some, I can't even put a face to!
3. Texts are nice, but sometimes I want to have an actual conversation.
My phone buzzes constantly. If I blink, I'll miss a new text appearing on my lock screen. It can give the illusion that I'm a pretty popular person, but that's not the case at all. Texting is a great communication tool. I can reach anyone whenever and wherever I want. But, sometimes I don't just want a quick "hello" or "what's up." Sometimes I want to actually talk and listen to someone's voice on the other side. There's a certain type of human connection that isn't so easily translated the same way through a text. Because of this, it's easier to misinterpret messages and send words that would never actually leave your mouth.
I really do appreciate texting, but I wish that it weren't the only way to hear from someone. Once in a while let's try to pick up the phone. You never know when it could be the last time you hear someone's voice.
