It always amazes me how much I feel in touch with people that email, text, facebook, tweet, etc. Some of my closest friends are in other countries and I communicate a great deal — by typing. A lot of my friends who have teenagers talk about the thousands of text messages their children send and receive every month, but that their phone minutes are virtually untouched. I overheard a woman last week criticizing the fact that her child still had to learn handwriting in school… since all they do is type.
We are really losing the gift of talking. There is no such thing as a sarcasm font (although that would be awesome) or a sympathy font to get across our true feelings. You can’t hear laughter, hug, wipe a tear over the internet. (LOL excluded… and I bet that 90% of the time people are not actually laughing out loud when they type this…) Can an email or text REALLY convey what you are thinking? Or can the nuances of seeing someone’s facial expressions add something to a conversation that words cannot express?
One of the things that always touches me during a DVSD dialogue is the expressions on the participants faces — what is being said without words. A look of understanding, empathy and hope that cannot be gleaned from reading a book. Tis is why I believe so strongly in the art of dialogue when it comes to topics like domestic violence. Being able to talk with someone who is an “expert” in your situation is priceless. It is a gift.
Now… off of blogging and calling a friend (on the phone) to go have lunch (in person).
Carrie Banks 