My View on Texting

Going way back to the flip-phone days, I was 15 when I got my first cell phone and I was absolutely obsessed with texting.

It was an unhealthy obsession I will admit as I recall constantly checking for new messages and feeling obligated to answer every text within 30 seconds of arrival to my inbox.

I texted everyone possible as much as possible. It was an exciting new addition to my life but one that I was unprepared to handle appropriately.

Having my own phone enabled me to connect with people even though I was not physically with them and I felt so independent and free but at the same time I was also trapped. Trapped in this persistent obligation to reply to these constant text messages as fast as possible lest the people on the other side feel forgotten or think that I don't care.

I use texting a lot still today and I really enjoy using my iPhone to connect with the people in my life and I have learned a some things about texting over the years that I would like to share:

1. Texting is both a great and also a terrible communication tool.

Let me explain. Texting is great when it is used to inform people about meetings or events going on. Texting is terrible when it is used for regular every day conversations and even worse for deep and intimate ones simply because of the risk of miscommunication. 

2. Texting is both polite and rude.

A polite example of texting is sending someone a Bible verse or a simple note of encouragement to brighten their day but it is very rude to do this while out for coffee or supper with someone else. 

3. Texting can both save and waste a lot of time.

Instead of phoning ten people individually to let them know about an event, which can take anywhere from 10 minutes to 1 hour or longer... you could just send a mass text in less than 1 minute. Also instead of taking 15 minutes to type out that story about what happened to you at work today in a text you could just phone that person and deliver the story through speech and take 2 minutes.

4. Texting is both personal and impersonal.

Sometimes a simple "I'm thinking of you" or "I'm praying for you" or a Scripture verse in a text can make someone's day but then just think about how much more personal it would be if someone called you to share the same things.

5. Texting can both create and destroy intimacy.

It is easy to text constantly with someone and get to know facts about them really well but, if texting is your main mode of communication, you won't actually get to know who that person is. You can say anything in a text and, without body language and tone of voice present, things can easily be misinterpreted and misunderstood. 

To summarize my thoughts, I think texting is useful but only if used wisely within reasonable limits.