The phone was ringing in the background — insistently.
I was too far away to even think about making a run for it. Besides, it was probably a spammer — another "wolf” call urging me to redirect my attention for no important reason at all.
But I couldn’t be sure.
My hands were covered with padded mitts and momentarily engaged in removing a hot baking dish from the oven. At the first ring, I hesitated, almost sliding our dinner back on the rack to hightail it to the phone. But I knew there wasn’t enough time to also take off the mitts, lower the oven temperature, and answer the call.
It was a tough decision, but there was no way I’d let the meal dry out because I was desperate to stop the damn ringing. By the way, I wasn’t the only one within earshot of the incoming call. And no one else made an effort to get to it either.
Granted, I’m pretty much the keeper of the phone.
But the calls that come in are considered shared responsibility. Apparently, I was the only one who felt that way.
So it was time for a family talk. Because in my opinion, that can’t-live-without-it piece of technology is the central point of our lives, around which all other aspects revolve.
Whether friend, family, or business emergency, that little black device holds a top priority position. At least that’s that message burned into my brain.
To avoid any future confusion, I tried a new mental tactic.
Instead of viewing the phone as a major pain-in-the-ass that everyone considers to be a virtual hot potato, I took a different tack.
I explained to those currently residing in the house that the phone should be treated like a young child — one without a mind of its own, without a sense of direction, and needing constant care, attention, and oversight.
Because if we just ignore it and let it cry in the hope someone else will step up to take care of whatever problem needs to be addressed at the moment, something really bad could happen.
Like a burned-to-a-crisp charcoal casserole served up for dinner — with a smile.
In health & happiness,
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Jill Reid is the author of Real Life, Discover Your Personal Truth, Life in Small Doses, and Please God, Make Me A Writer. Her books, videos, and newsletter explore life, relationships, self-improvement, health, and personal success strategies for working through the challenges of everyday life.
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