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To Text or Not to Text
Over the past decade we have seen the declining hand-written letter give way to the email message. In many ways this was the end of an era. However, just like the telegraph bowing out and making way for the telephone, we should always accept change and embrace progress.
Now there seems to be yet another transition. It appears that eMail is now considered old fashion by some and is giving way to texting. Sure texting has been around for a couple of years but now it is commonplace for kids to send and receive a couple of thousand texts per month!
When I recently upgraded my daughter’s cell phone plan to include a data package, the sales representative wisely advised me to purchase the “unlimited texting” option for a couple of extra bucks a month. Little did I know how smart of an investment that would be!
After receiving the first bill, I was amazed to see that my daughter had text over 2,400 messages within a month! Little did I know she had just gotten started! It seems all of her friends had just as much to say- and a lot more! Thousands and thousands of messages flying through the air by the second!
Not wanting to seem “uncool” I asked few questions and acted like I knew exactly what texting was all about. That was until a few weeks later when we were out to dinner with the family. As the maitre-d seated us, my daughter said hello to a friend who was sitting directly in the booth behind us – back to back with my daughter.
Later, as we began eating our appetizers, I noticed my daughter was texting under the table. I immediately asked who she was talking with. I was dumfounded to learn she was texting with her same friend who was sitting right behind her!
Not sure what to think, I foolishly asked why she would she just not turn around and speak to her friend? It was then that reality hit me when she replied, “Dad, you are so old-fashioned”. Hoping that no one heard our exchange, I immediately went back to eating my fried mozzarella sticks.