大象传媒

Greyer and with permanent smile lines I refuse to call wrinkles, I鈥檓 50 today but don鈥檛 feel any older. However, there are moments when I realise I am 鈥�

Like the time I overheard a snippet of a conversation between two young men who were stacking the shelves in the supermarket. One was talking about his latest text message. He was complaining that his girlfriend had changed some arrangements. Then he said "can you imagine what it must have been like trying to have a relationship in the days before text messages鈥�"

I don鈥檛 have to imagine. I can remember.

These two young lads could not envisage any other way of life than theirs鈥� Perhaps I鈥檓 just as much a product of my life鈥檚 influences.

During my fifty years the rate of change of technology has been beneficial in many ways but when there鈥檚 a crunch decision or important deal to be done I have learned the benefit of personal face-to face encounter.

Don鈥檛 get me wrong, text messaging and social media are great; I鈥檓 a user, even a fan but occasionally they are too immediate, too instant, and I could use a little room to cool off, be in less of an ill temper before I reply鈥� I might change my mind and wish later that I hadn鈥檛 pressed send, or that I had worded the answer or message very differently or best of all set up a meeting to do it person to person.

John鈥檚 Gospel says, "The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighbourhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes,".

Heavenly Father,

Older isn鈥檛 always wiser.

Help me to show good judgement and kindness in all today鈥檚 encounters whether face to face or message to message.

Amen.