Now I admit that I am from the older generation (ouch! That hurt a little to admit), but I am not so old that I don't remember how the courtship ritual works. Boy meets girl. Boy woos girl. Boy gets girl. And though there have been variations to this formula -- girl woos boy, boy skips "woo-ing" and goes straight to gets girl, or boy meets boy (but that's another story) it always seems to work out the same way, the boy and girl together.

This has been a tried and true process. The pattern has been basically the same, but the vocabulary changed. For instance in my parents time it was called "courting." And there was considerably more time spent on each step. In my day we "dated." And then a bit later kids stopped "dating" and started "hanging out." And instead of "going together" they were "hooking up." Even though this was a bit confusing, I adjusted. I also got used to being called "phat" (as a compliment) and found out "sick" was a good thing.

But this generation has changed everything -- both the words and the process. Boys and girls no longer meet face to face and socialize in a one on one setting (whatever you call it). Now they simply text or message each other. You can see young people all over town; at malls, at fast food places, even at schools. They are sitting, dreamy-eyed, gazing lovingly into the screens of their cell phones (or laptops)!

I understood when playing outside was replaced with video games. And I didn't say a word when going out to a theater was shelved in favor of watching a movie on-demand. I even accepted it when people stopped going to their jobs in favor of working from their kitchen, in their pajamas. But I cannot sit idly by while relationships are replaced by remote, telecommuting and outsourcing! This is where I draw my line in the sand. Some things are sacred. Some things really need to be done face to face!

Teenagers today! Hmphf! My teen-aged daughter is on her third "boyfriend." Yet there have been no calls to the house, no young men stopping by, and at no time did a car come by to pick her up. The entire courtship is virtual. One of the young men in question didn't even attend her school -- so they never even saw each other. They text each other to set up a "date" and then rush home after school to either IM each other, or chat wall-to-wall on facebook. Flowers and candy pop up on her computer screen and shared pictures and youtube clips are their activity together. The break-up (though it's probably not called that anymore. It's probably called "departure" or "disconnect") is also handled totally by text. "Bf u r g8, but 4 now i m out. lol." Really? Did you have to end with "laugh out loud?"

Please, young people! Put down your cell phones and lap tops, your blackberries and bluetooth. Walk outside and approach that girl or boy. Look them in the eye and say "hello." It may sound crazy, but you never know. Something wonderful (and old-fashioned) might happen.