Personal Media

I know that most people (including myself) think of mass media when the word media is said. However, I have a huge appreciation of personal media. I check my e-mail multiple times a day. I text my friends often and I have phone calls with my family. I think I often take for granted how amazing this use of personal media with is. I can communicate with people hundreds (and even thousands) of miles away instantly. I really think it would've been hard for me to live before this great technology that is able to help me keep in touch with friends and family.

One reason I am especially grateful for personal media is that it's Monday. That may not mean much to you, but I have a bunch of friends on missions right now, and it seems like a majority of them have their P-days on Mondays. Most of their parents will forward the missionary's e-mails to the family to the missionary's friends (including me), so that we can hear (in pretty much real time) how the missionary is doing. It's great to hear how they are doing from one week to the next. This is especially nice when I compare that to how long simple letters take. I'm writing some missionaries and don't hear how they are doing other than that (no family e-mails or anything) and it takes FOREVER! If they are outside the U.S., it will take at least a week to get there. Then the missionary has to wait to go to the mission home to get the letter, so if you time it wrong, that will take another couple of weeks. Then they actually have to find time on a P-day to write back, then they have to mail it and it takes a while to get back. So it can easily take a month or two. And that's with a semi-dependable mail system!

I really don't know how friends or family survived without e-mail on missions and long trips. It's such a blessing to hear how people far away are doing. Phones, e-mail, texting, and other forms have really revolutionized how we communicate... and I am grateful for it.