Is it strange that in the dating world, the time when we should be the most engaging and interactive, we no longer value spending time talking to one another in person, instead opting for the rush that comes from that little sound or vibration on our phone, that signals human life on the other end? Have we lost the ability to go out, meet the opposite sex, hold each other’s gaze from across the room for just a bit too long, and organically connect on the level that truly ignites the inner being? Do you want to feel the raw electricity, the chemistry and stirring of intuitive emotion that can only be felt in face to face interactions? Is the art or better yet the interest in engaging in live conversation becoming a thing of the past? I stopped to think about a special someone I used to know and realized recently, I don’t really know them at all! During the course of our ‘courting’ we actually spent more time communicating via text message and email than speaking face to face or even on the phone for that matter. Even time spent flirting, getting to know what excites one another, sharing stories, sending notes to say ‘I’m thinking of you’ or sending pictures, was all done electronically and I’m not referring to online dating.
Now, being the hopeless romantic that I am, there is still something to be said for a handwritten card or love letter, actually taking the time to write and express true emotion and feelings on paper that you can keep forever. I do understand not everyone has the patience for this or the penmanship, but honestly, a text to ask someone out on a first date? Or tell them they look nice from a picture sent earlier? Have we come to a point where we actually place value and emphasis on a text or emoticon from your phone? We count the response time of a text, as a rating of commitment and interest, often getting frustrated with delays and even confused by our incorrect interpretation of strategically placed hyphens, semi-colons and dashes making a heart, winking face or thumbs down, never taking the time to pick up the phone and actually speaking to or spending face time with that special someone. Instead of our touch screens, shouldn’t we be touching one another, locking eyes, touching someone’s arm while engaging in a great conversation, resting your hand on lover’s knee while driving? There’s nothing sexier than a man leading you to the dinner table by placing his hand on the small of your back and having the lightest touch with total control…but that’s just me. Maybe texting is easier and faster and certainly spares a lot of unnecessary small talk, but can it really replace talking and getting to know someone? It lacks emotion and certainly can’t convey the right tone.
A text or tweet can change pop culture and make seismic shifts in our thinking in mere seconds, but when it comes to affairs of the heart, chemistry should be in charge vs. a handheld device, void of feelings and emotions despite the fact that you likely love and cherish your smartphone. So put down your phone, look around, watch where you are walking and be aware because who knows, maybe you’ll catch that look from across the room that could change your life.
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