This morning, I read my friend Kathleen’s blog post titled 100 Things to Do This Fall. At first I was simply overwhelmed by the fact that she had made a list of 100 things. Whenever I sit down to write a list, I tend to run out of steam around #17. And then I got to Kathleen’s #23- “Make more phone calls. Send fewer e-mails. ”

This is a goal I have set and then re-set for myself a few times just recently.

Over the past few months, I have used e-mail more than ever before. This spring I began my time as president of our elementary school’s home and school association. In this role, I coordinate many social events and fundraisers and oversee dozens of committees. Without e-mail, this level of work would be impossible. There simply would not be enough time to talk with all of these people in person or over the phone.

Sometimes though I wonder if this is really the way to go. Already in my short time as president I have had two experiences that would have been so much better handled in person. Experiences where the message just came across incorrectly or things were misinterpreted or misread. There were messages conveyed in e-mails that went back and forth for days that could have been delivered clearly in a short five minute phone conversation.

I wonder what we have scarified for the ease of e-mail communication. We have saved ourselves time but instead of luxuriating in our found freedom, we simply do more. So what have we actually gained? I wonder what would happen if we started making more phone calls and sending fewer e-mails? I can’t promise that I will always find the time to do this but I promise that I will try.

I can’t wait to see what I find…