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April 24, 2005
Plucking My Email Heartstrings
I was inspired the other day into a line of thought that has not been able to leave my head. I'll try to explain what I mean, but I'm still in the process of trying to make sense of it myself. Hopefully writing this entry will help.
I communicate with so many people every day in so many different ways. You do too. We talk, that's a no brainer. Then there are hand, body, and facial gestures, which are so subconscious that we never notice them happening, and couldn't stop them if we tried. These are implicit, but there are numerous explicit communication tools as well, telephone, fax machines, instant messaging, and, of course, email. I often rail against email because it takes so much time away from other aspects of my life, but the truth is that I love it. That's right, I love Email.
Ok, that statement needs some clarification. I love the right kind of email. I love the email that you get from somebody that you know, or somebody that you are getting to know, or somebody that you love, or somebody that loves you. I love juicy Emails, chock full of information. I love reading and rereading and even rerereading a really good email.
It's always amazing to me how good reading a nice long email can make me feel. I sometimes go back to old correspondences and read through the conversations...many times in hopes of finding some sliver of a detail that I missed before. Even when I come up empty-handed, it still feels nice.
So as not to seem totally self-indulgent, I should note that I love writing emails too. Sometimes I'll just write and write and write and hope that the other person is actually interested in what I'm saying.
I love sneaking little secrets between the words. It's like a tiny little inside joke, but giving the receiver a chance to 'get it.' Of course, it's also nice to be able to stick shared secrets between the words as well.
Despite all its other failures I'm here to advocate email, at least for this evening. Here's an assignment, dear reader: Write a good email to someone you love, or even just like a whole lot, tonight. Be passionate, be secretive, be tricky. But at the same time, don't think twice about it. Just be yourself. The other person is sure to enjoy the simple gift.
If you're the lucky receiver of a good email tonight, don't forget to reread it. Then rereread it. Then read it again tomorrow. You won't regret it, I promise.
Posted at April 24, 2005 11:14 PM