People don’t talk anymore. Have you heard that? It’s often true, at least compared to what some of us are used to. The difference seems to be mostly generational. If an older person has something to say, look for it to be face to face. If a younger person does, expect a text message. A middle-aged person? Flip a coin, as you could get either one — or both.

When my father was alive, he would enjoy what he called “visiting.” On Sundays after church, we would walk down to the neighbors, and they would have coffee and talk. Nothing too serious. No politics or religion or gossip. Just visiting.

If a pancake breakfast was being held in town, we were there. Not so much for the food, but for the visiting.

On Sunday afternoons, we would go see his brothers or his sister or their family members, usually unannounced. Or we would stop by to see some longtime family friends. More visiting.

As a young boy, I didn’t especially enjoy those times, unless the folks we were visiting had kids my age. But I learned to respect these instances because they were important to Dad, and I could see that this “visiting” made everyone smile.

Dad was a small business owner, and his customers would sometimes invite him to their homes for supper. They were kind enough to invite me, too. Dad would eat most anything and was appreciative. I was like most kids and didn’t have much interest in a wide range of foods. One night when Dad told me oyster stew was to be served, he could see my apprehension. “Just be respectful and try it and tell them it was good,” he told me on the drive there. “And I will get you something to eat later.” I did the best I could, but I likely wasn’t very convincing.

Dad’s visiting led to lots of friendships — and lots of invitations to weddings and graduations and the like. He had a strong opinion that, if someone thought enough of him to invite him, then he should attend. And he did. Funerals, too. I often tagged along with him, and I learned a great deal from him in doing so. He wasn’t a man who delivered great speeches or wrote inspiring words. He did something much more important; he showed up. Visiting.

Sometime through the years, we lost the art of this. Now we “visit” by posting photos on social media or sending text messages from our phones. Most of us would agree it certainly isn’t the same. A younger generation doesn’t have anything to compare it to, though. Digital communication is all they know. One has to wonder if this will come full circle, or if face-to-face communication will continue to diminish. It’s a great discussion that seems to be worth a visit.

Have a terrific Tuesday, and thanks for reading.

Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.thedailyumbrella.com

See Shane Goodman's previous columns here.

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