Sunday, July 2

Communication Gap

Someone just showed me a demo of video conferencing on a 3G handset today and honestly it worried me a bit as this might mean my mum might just make an impromptu call and demand me to turn on the video to know what I am up to.....no, just kidding but then you never know.

This worry dawned upon me after a not-so-pleasant morning...

I woke up to my alarm that is set to the BBC. The news reader didn't care that I was in a debate with Kofi Annan on whether Sashi Tharoor would make a good successor or not.....she read on and on loudly about Berlusconi's trial on charges of embezzlement etc. Obviously, she wasn't in sync with the thoughts that were clouding my dream. Poor poor communication given the advancement of technology in this era. I had to get out of my bed to shut her off.

I spent a brief period in the loo. (Don't! It is NOT too much information - note the apt usuage of the word 'brief'). Next I walked to the common area and turned on the heater which usually takes about 15 mins to get the water warm. In the meanwhile, I checked my mail - nothing new !(no one had found the need to communicate to me the entire night...hm) .

I watered my newly planted prim roses (strategically positioned such that each night when I go to bed I can see them against the moonlight). Watched the telly as I quickly ironed my shirt and hopped into the shower and - the water was cold!!

Grrrrrrrr

I run to the common room, dripping, only to find the heater turned off!!! My beloved flatmate who takes extra care to keep the utilities bill low somehow failed to ask when the heater was turned on and by who before assuming it as an excess. Again, something is missing - I wonder. Hmmm

I walked to my bus stop; got the occasional nod from the familiar faces at the bus stop, settled down with my book Tools for Effective Communication' by Dianna Booher. A couple of seconds later as I looked up, my bus just went past without stopping - just because I wasn't up there flagging !! How rude.....If only the driver (who I don't greet everyday as I get into the bus) could care more....or atleast had telepathy skills!

I was half-annoyed already at the lack of communication in everything and everyone who surround me!!

I reached my work place and was well-greeted by the security, "Can you put on your ID card and wear it such that it is more visible." How nice...this, inspite of me explaining to him (on several ocassions) about the hazardous nature of lanyards and how obstructive they prove to be when you wash your face to freshen up after lunch....he pays no heed.

I turned on my PC and there were tons and tons of emails from my work counterparts from the other end of the world who were up and about when I was sleeping and were obvioulsy busy drafting mail after mail for me to attend to as soon as I get to work ...Being the dedicated worker that I am, I swiftly got to business - sorting them and preparing for the morning meeting and attending to my colleague who is half pissed as he was unable to access his unix account and wanted to use mine ......when my Dad chooses to SMS me.

"Hello Pablo! ABC, XYZ. Anyways, have a nice day!"

My response

"You too dad"

My Dad's response

"Pablo, when someone greets you and says have a nice day, you are supposed to respond back saying 'Thank you! I hope you have a nice day too!"

I was about to call him and say that I was superbly busy and had no time or space to fit in so many words into a SMS....but, I chickened out. Instead...

I responded..

"I agree and I acknowldge it"

I think my Dad gave up on me; though it set me thinking..

We have all become so busy with our lives that we do take a lot things for granted and certainly communication is one of them. Little do we realise that those extra words, those exra nods, or those additional greetings will take us a long way in building bonds which I think are additional bonus to flowers, moon and alike making this world a more beautiful place to live in.