In the age of technology, it’s become easier for people to express their emotions towards one another. A text message, for example, can express your love for someone, whether those words have been said face-to-face before or not. The same text message can also express anger and lead to an incoming of phone alerts and notifications during an argument that can even mean the end of a relationship.
Although words on a screen can be powerful and can inflict or inspire change, one might ask how these letters compare to hearing someone’s voice or watching someone’s actions articulate the same idea. Today, we often sit behind a screen and type what we think and how we feel to the people we love, or even to complete strangers. This behavior has been repeated so many times and by so many individuals that it’s become a habit. People have come to assume that the words appearing on a phone or computer screen hold the same weight as ones coming out of your mouth.
Don’t get me wrong, I am also a part of this culture. I have my phone with me almost 24/7, and I get annoyed, as most teenagers do, when my parents criticize me for being, “attached,” to it or when they ask what I’m doing on it that could possibly be so interesting. However, I try to remind myself, as much as I can, that having a Snap Chat streak with someone doesn’t mean we are best friends, and texting, “omg we need to get lunch sometime haven’t seen you in forever!” isn’t the same as actually following through and spending time with someone.
I know that I can count on my friends because they’ve shown me that they are dependable, not because they respond to my text within 30 seconds of it being sent. A comment on an Instagram picture that says, “love this and you!” doesn’t mean that same person will pick up the phone in the middle of the night when you really need them. The people I care about have proved that they care about me, not because I asked them to, but because they genuinely do.
So, what’s the point here? The point is that typing certain letters in a certain order isn’t enough. Even though society today may perpetuate casual and non-committal relationships and friendships, a text or Facebook post isn’t enough. If you value someone’s place in your life, then show them. Demonstrate your feelings and beliefs so others know that you’re serious about what they hear you say. Stand up for what you believe in, send a letter, make a phone call, and never underestimate the importance of a real conversation.
