How Important Are We?

This morning I was on the phone with my sister. I have call waiting (which was great when it came out but is a thorn in my side now) and I took a quick peek at who was calling. It was Jeremy; I knew I could call him back as soon as I finished this conversation - and HOPE he answered it. (He didn't) However, the phone kept ringing, indicating he was calling back over and over. Annoyed that I had to rush off the phone with my sister, but worried something was wrong with my son, I quickly ended the conversation with my sister who was headed off to bed.

When I switched lines, I was surprised to find out it was our granddaughter - not our son. Apparently, he hung up and she called, then called back when I didn't answer and the answering machine didn't pick up. Now I was pleasantly surprised to hear her sweet voice, but still in the back of my mind, I was very irritated at myself - not at pR but at myself for so quickly brushing off my sister.

We have become so addicted to the cell phones, call waiting and computers that we are (Leone, are you listening?) being rude to those we care about. Is that phone call or cell phone call absolutely more important than the person who’s with us on the other line, or with you you at that moment? I always feel like I am a second wheel when someone cuts me off like I did my sister today - it is like someone slapped me in the face, yet I DID IT TO MY SISTER :-(

I am usually conscious about not doing that to someone - in fact, I tried to ditch call waiting but it was on my everything-you-could-possibly-want-and-then-some-for-nothing plan with the phone company. Dropping it would have cost me $25 more a month! I often do think to cancel it when I am calling out so I don't get interrupted, but sometimes I forget - however, I seldom pick up a call when I am on the phone. How did we ever get by without call waiting and cell phones? Is it possible that we had to wait 2 minutes and call back?

Anyway, this is just one of my pet peeves and I have no idea why it annoys me - but it does. While I am at it, I have one other pet peeve - it is people who think I *must* be a part of their phone conversation. Every single one of you know what I am talking about - that person that sits next to you and carries on a very loud cell phone conversation with an 'air' of importance about them. NOT. IMPORTANT. Not to me folks! Is it too hard to walk 10 feet to exclude me from your personal life?

However, yes, Leone, I even smile at them and continue on my way. I promise, I am going to make a difference in one person's life - someone, someday will see me and think that I thought they were important enough not to answer that phone or snap rudely at them because I did not want to hear their not-important-to-me phone call.

And I am sorry, sis, for rushing off the phone. I just wanna say I love you. Hope you had a great night's rest. You are important to me :-)