Let it ring, people, just let it ring.

February 18th, 2010

We live in a time where information is almost instantaneous, communication is easy and accessible, and we are multi-tasking more than ever before. Quite a lot of us have become slaves to the very technology that is supposed to help free us. Sometimes, the dependence we have on the technology is downright rude.

Take the telephone, for instance. At one time, when people actually used their front porch, the telephone was much less important. It could ring several times before someone was bothered enough to answer it. Nowadays, if we don’t answer in 1 or 2 rings, we think the world has ended. We scramble to answer the phone and, if we miss it, we *69 or look at the caller-id to see who called so we can immediately call them back.

And, if that’s not enough, we now have a device only dreamed of a couple of decades ago by science fiction authors – a personal, go-anywhere, fit-in-your-pocket phone. Almost everyone and their kids have a cell phone. So, if they are not at home to take the call, just call them on their cell. It is great to be so in-touch with your family, friends and work.

But, let’s have a little bit of courtesy. How many times have you stood in line at a business, only to be jumped ahead by someone calling on the phone? How many times have you been talking to someone and their cell phone rings, only to have them answer it and ignore you? How many times have you interrupted a family dinner by answering the phone when it rings?

I say let it ring. Most phones now have voice mail. Let it ring and go to voice mail and return the call at YOUR convenience. Unless I am expecting an important phone call, I will always let my phone go to voice mail if I am talking to someone or otherwise busy. I will move to a more private place to hold my conversation – most people do not want to hear me talking on the phone. I certainly don’t want to hear their conversations either.

And texting – please, there are very few things so urgent you have to stop what you are doing and text someone back. They will wait! Finish what you are doing and then text them back. If it’s urgent, they can call your voice mail.

Communication is a wonderful thing we should be masters over, not slaves to. We need to control our lives, not a little box on our hips. Take control and let it ring.