My Christmas List
It’s been a few years since I’ve made a real Christmas wish list. When I was younger, I kept a running tally of everything I wanted and would post it on the fridge at home. I loved figuring out the cost and practicality of each gifts. Regardless of whether or not I actually got anything on my list, it was so much fun getting sucked into the whirlwind of hypothetical consumerism during the holidays. I was basically the world’s best window shopper.
Table of Contents
This year, I’ve decided to make a new Christmas wish list.
For 2017, my Christmas list is comprised of a bunch of phone calls I would like to make.
Let me be clear, this list is quite informal — there is no rhyme or strategy. I don’t even have a comprehensive list of names!
As someone who grew up in the digital age of incessant texting, the three-dot typing notificaiton, and emojis, phone calls have not been preferred method of communication.
In contrast, my mom will call people (at reasonable hours) without fretting over whether or not she is interrupting a person’s life. She even used to send hand-written letters in order to coordinate a time to chat on the phone because a postage stamp was cheaper than missing a phone call. Phone protocal has also obviously changed drastically. (I apologize for completely dating you, Mom).
Today, it is possible to live a life of relative luxury in which we have the ability to communicate complete thoughts and emotions at a much cheaper cost via modern day phones (and especially if you have unlimited minutes)!
Since turning my “smartphone” notifications off, I’ve been thinking of additional ways I can use my phone differently.
Enter my next challenge: Text less. Call more.
The goal is to be able to…
- Respond in real-time.
- Actually laugh instead of LOL.
- Soak in the awkward and reflective pauses.
- Close your eyes and actively focus on the present conversation (or take mini naps if you desire!).
- Cover more ground, go in greater depth, and receive genuine responses — I’m tired of both typing and reading long paragraphs of complex thoughts without knowing if the recipient truly read/digested/and thoughtfully responded. I say this because I am a culprit of doing this.
Since talking on the phone doesn’t come naturally to me, I am trying to show people how I would like to communicate by making an effort to call them. Or at the very least, make plans to call in the future.
This is not an intrusion, this is a simple act of effort and a valuable method of communication.
I would love to get to a point where I feel comfortable calling people on a regular basis and people feel the same with me too.
So for this Christmas… call me with a proposition, a rant, a life crisis, a joke, or whatever it is you might have on your mind. We can plan the phone call in advance. Or I can call you when you are on my mind or you can call me when I am on your mind.
However it unfolds, I’ll hope that we can play it ear and talk very very soon.
What about you?