For the Love of Others

This blog today is one of those “Guilty as charged” talks that I know I need. I am taking this “schooling” lesson to heart and to my cell phone.

I read an article about cell phone etiquette and here I am passing along what I read! My cell phone is an appendage to me EXCEPT when I leave home without it. UGH! OR the times when I can’t find where I left it. What in the world is the matter with me?

Were you ever having a newsy, intriguing conversation with someone, and the someone stops in mid-sentence to check a text message or, even worse, a phone call? Rather than the phone being on silent, they answer the phone, and commence to give full attention to that message or call?

I may be guilty as charged. My husband might be a go-to to confirm that. Really, it isn’t someone else’s responsibility to cope with our cell phone use. It is up to us, individually, to prefer others before preferring our phone.

Sure, we have a God-given right to free expression. But using common sense and, as my mama would say: “Good manners is respecting others.”

A couple of weeks ago we were at a restaurant, enjoying a delicious meal, when we heard a loud conversation going on behind us. We turned to look. The man’s cell phone was on speaker at his table of one and having an out loud conversation. WHAT? That incident is my motivation for this blog today!

So here I am reminding us about cell-phone manners. Let’s start with multi-tasking. This one is for me. For human beings’ sake, we should avoid making calls while driving. Lord, help me, Jesus! I know it could put my life and the lives of others in danger.

We should know where not to use our phones. Like at work, at school, at church, elevators, hospitals, waiting rooms, restaurants, family meals, auditoriums, movie theaters, airplanes, while shopping, waiting in lines, visiting with friends or relatives, or doing almost anything that causes others to get peeved.

Manners, PLEASE! As people who sincerely care about others, shouldn’t we be intentional with giving ourselves completely to others in conversation? Ideally, our phones should be turned off entirely at times like that, if possible. Respecting our friends and loved ones is most important.

But, if we are anticipating an important call, we should alert our friend/relative beforehand that we are expecting an important call that we must take. No matter what, we should step away and not stay away any longer than we should.

Text messaging is the same as a telephone call. FULL attention to our friends/relatives! And, if need be, apologize and step away for that MOST IMPORTANT texting exchange! In those cases, keep the following rules of texting etiquette in mind:

• Use the vibrate feature instead of an audible text alert.
• Only text when not walking or driving.
• We should limit our phone use during gatherings with our friends. Some friends (with or without cell phones) might find our lack of attention to them annoying and inconsiderate.

Back to Jesus’ school of doing what’s right. He said, “LOVE your neighbor as you love yourself!” We can do that by becoming more cell-phone considerate! Thank you, Donna! You know you needed this! Sigh!