Shying away from social media

I think that in the age of social media and technology that we have been thrust into, it is so easy to converse with others. However, I think that we have lost the ability to make lasting connections because communication is so simple. A tweet, a text, a Facebook message or even a blog comment. All of these things allow us to stay connected to people without making nearly as much, if any, effort. I know people who would much rather smash their head against a wall than carry on a face-to-face conversation.

But why? Technology has allowed us to make staying connected simple. Sure that means that I can easily text and follow the many adventures of my best friend living in Paris, but it also means that I lose some of the heart-felt connection that I could get from sending her a letter. Taylor (my friend in Paris) and I actually do rely on some of the more old fashioned methods of conversation. I received a postcard the other day from Moulin Rouge in Paris. Seeing Taylor's handwriting and knowing that she is thinking about me long enough to pen a handwritten letter is something that is very comforting. It's also the product of years and years of friendship and conversation. As much as we may not admit it, I bet everyone secretly (or in my case, publicly) would adore a handwritten letter from someone. Whether they are down the block or across the world, it's something that shows how much they care for you, despite having a hectic schedule.

My grandmother is 82 and still works 5 days a week. She is one of the best women I know. She is strong, independent, and absolutely hilarious. She jogs on her treadmill 30 minutes a day and emails like a mad-woman. All of that being said, she has been nagging me here lately to get her a better cell phone. Now, as much as I love Gram, she does not need a cell phone. Let me put it into perspective for you. A few months ago I went to upgrade my phone plan at Verizon. Mom and I both are under Gram's account, but she has her own separate plan. The tech that I was speaking with at Verizon urged me to talk to my grandmother about combining our plans because of how much money it could save her due to the rather small number of minutes she talked each month. Knowing that Gram had been bugging me about a new phone, I asked, "Well, how many minutes does she talk each month on average?" The tech smiled, told me she was on the $25 plan, and then proceeded to say that last month was a very busy month for grandma. She talked more on her phone than she had in the past 6 months. I was surprised, and asked, "Well, how many minutes did she talk?" ...Thirteen. She paid $25 to talk for 13 minutes. For how hard it is to get my grandma to shut up when she has something to say, 13 minutes is Guinness World Record holding for Gram.

Needless to say, Mom and I vetoed a new phone. And a Facebook for that matter...some things are just better left untouched.