Interaction with other people is critical to our mental health. The texting, phone calling crowd must put down their cellphones occasionally and actually visit friends and families. Unfortunately, this is not happening enough and so many problems are caused because they are not.
I put partial blame on the cellphone and internet. Although considered two of the greatest inventions ever, most all of us spend more time on a cellphone than we ever dreamed of doing. It is addicting and has changed the way we communicate. However, man cannot live by phone alone. There has to be more to life than a cellphone, tablet or computer. There is a world out there. There are people who live in the world who are just like you. They crave connections and relationships. Most are finding them on their cellphones through social media or various Internet sites.
The sad reality of this is that people aren’t really connecting to other people. Cellphone or social media communication is typically very surface communication. I am guilty of one word, or one sentence responses. We aren’t really sharing that much about ourselves nor understanding that much about what others are doing or going through. Usually, we have perceptions that are not completely accurate.
Interpersonal communication is critical to the mental and spiritual health of our planet. We need communication and real in-person talking. Telephone conversations are critical but personal visits, when possible, are even better.
Just take a look at our current political climate. Do Republicans and Democrats ever sit down together to discuss their differences amiably. This occurred more frequently before the widespread use of cellphones and social media, but it is now uncommon. Do you think all the social media exchanges, excusing one another of improprieties, is healthy for any of us? Of course not.
Family gatherings are critical. People need to feel connected to family. Your family may be small, but you need each other, and love must always be the priority. How many terrorist shooters might have been saved from their heinous acts if family and possibly a couple of friends could have had real connections to those people? My guess is many.
As parents, we often back off too much. We give too much freedom and too much space. We need to stay right in the middle of our children’s lives as much as we possibly can. This means keeping the conversations going. We must continue to care about what they are doing, where they are going and what is going on in their lives. This becomes very difficult as children grow up and don’t want their parents in their business, but we must be diligent.
Keep in mind that you are still a mom or a dad. You can’t treat your 21-year-old like they are ten, but you can keep reaching out, expressing love, giving encouragement and embracing them emotionally. Of course, even then, some children grow up to choose destructive lifestyles or make horrific life decisions. People have minds of their own. Yet, if parents and family members keep reaching out to each other it might just be enough to keep a loved one on a good path and living a good life.
Please join me in reaching out more by person versus cellphone or email. I’ve been a miserable failure at this. The cellphone has become my best friend. I know this is true for many of you. Let’s put it aside and pay a visit to that lonely friend or relative or actually have a conversation with our daughter or son. I’m going to try. Hopefully you will too.
