I am a gadget fanatic! That's right I admit it, I have the latest IPhone, IPad the largest HDTV flat panel screen, and several game systems. I can text, BBM, SMS, MMS, Skype, Tango and Twitter better then I can balance my checkbook. I get my email from five different email accounts, can tell you the best restaurants in a 5 mile radius, tell you the flight schedule for Delta, Continental, and Southwestern. Find the best dance clubs, the closest playhouse, even detour around traffic jams in minutes.
Technology has made life easy. It has made my day easier, and made me an instant expert on anything I can Bing. All aspects of my life have become easier thanks to technology and the portable gadget. All except one, relationships. OMG...it can become the most stressful part of my day. Day in and day out I have noticed the conflicts in relationships caused by a text messages or BBMs, or chat message. More and more relationships of my friends and family have been stressed out over a message that came from a little black box in their pocket. After a few of my own experiences dealing with black box conflict, I realized the problem that technology has created. Technology has given couples the ability to be disconnected and distant from one another in the most crucial times.
If you've ever gotten the earth shaking text messages in the middle of your work day, late at night, or in the middle of a very public situation. Then you know what I'm talking about. The person has just sent a message that they are unhappy with the relationship, they are upset with something about you, canceling a date, or whatever. Suddenly you have to stop what you're doing and find out why so you text them back, then there is a response only longer, then there is your response and on and on. After everything is said and done you realize you've held a complete conversation, over the past hour that ended in the end of the relationship.
People, I implore you to please put the phone down and sit down to have a conversation about your issues, concerns and complaints with your partner. That is as long as it's safe. Our black box communications distance us from the impact the words we use on our partner. We don't have to see the pain, and disappointment on their face. We can easily end the relationship with a push of the end button with no emotional residue. Is this the value of our relationships in our lives now? Can we really write off a relationship with someone we have shared our most intimate feelings? Leaving them to question what happened, and wanting to see you, or to talk face-to-face one last time? Have we become so callous for something we at one time may have been ready to give your life to.
If you find yourself in a relationship where your most delicate relationship concerns have been documented in SMS or MMS. Please.... stop and ask yourself, "If I truly care for and value this person about to receive this message, don't they deserve more than just a vibrating pocket?"
