Keeping In Touch

I recently had a disagreement with someone over their inability to say “Thank you” or even send a friendly message every now and then. I was brought-up to always say “Thank You”  as well as to keep in touch with others whether in person, over the phone or by mail. With that said it hasn’t always been easy – especially before e-mail, IM, smart phones, text messaging, etc. Add to that always moving to a new state or country and it gets even harder yet there has only been one time that I was delayed – by a week – in saying “Thank You.” It was when I was graduating high school, had my birthday and started working at an overnight summer camp for the mentally and physical disabled all at the same time. I received some cards and presents (not from the person who physically gave them to me) and made a note to call them later using the camp’s one and only pay phone. I didn’t have any change and was busy learning how to take care of the disabled day and night for the first time and it took me 6 days to get back to them (during my first time back home) to say “Thank You.” It has been many  years and I still get reminded about that 1 time.

I have also tried to keep in touch with friends and family no matter where I lived or how many times I moved. I once sent a regular letter from the US to Europe in the hopes of randomly re-connecting with someone. That letter (I later learned) got sent around to several people until one person remembered me and this other person and mailed the letter to that person who had moved back to the States. We re-connected (now using e-mail and IM.) Although now for some reason that person has restricted my writing on their Wall yet continues to IM me.

Also when I lived in Russia and didn’t have Internet on my cell phone or in the house I was staying in I would have to brave the cold and snow to go out early and go to an Internet Café at the local university to check my e-mails and reply to them.  A lot of the time I would reserve my time the day before and when I got there (having to give my coat to the coat check woman – because they hunt you down if you wear a coat in buildings) would go to the Internet Café only to learn that the Internet was down for the day and so wouldn’t be able to do anything, but get my coat back and leaving. The irony is the name of the school had New Technology in it yet their “new technology” (Ie the Internet) didn’t work a lot of the time and when it did it was very slow. It sometimes took me 1 hour to send 3-4 e-mails not to mention the overt censorship while using the Internet in Russia. Back to the e-mails: Even when I couldn’t use the Internet I still sent lengthy letters to people on a regular basis.

Having lived in a time without the Internet, IMs, Facebook, e-mails, cell phones, text messages and even having lived in many States and countries I still managed to say “Thank you” as well as keep in touch with people so I know there’s really no excuse (except for laziness and not caring.) Some people only ever get in touch when they want or need something from you – I know a lot of those people – and that’s just plain sad. I prefer to keep in touch with others because I want to while at the same time dealing with my own stuff by myself – that way they can’t say I was just “using” them.