From the Editor
Let’s put the phone down and talk Let’s put the phone down and talk. Fifty years ago this statement would have seemed a bit odd. Cell phones are a marvel of modern technology. In this day and age, we can talk to anyone no matter where they are, from almost any location no matter where we are. Our cell phones are mini computers. Our cell phones are more advanced than many of the computers 50 years ago. While technological advances in communications have their benefits, there are also drawbacks. How many times in the course of a day do you see people in a group setting who are paying more attention to their cell phones than they are with the group members. You see it in restaurants, and in family settings. We all do it while traveling on vacations, at home, and even at work. With the advent of apps available on phones containing games, music, texting availability, and much more, our phones are hard to part with. Some phones, (I know my phone does), even gives me a weekly report that computes how much screen time I used in the previous week. One could say that many people have lost the art of good conversation. Our phones make it easy to send a quick text message to communicate with one another. Our text messages many times also include an emoji to express our mental or physical state at the time, these emojis show expressions or emotions we are trying to convey.
Recently at work one of our computer techs was installing software on a computer in the Bayou Catholic department. It was a lengthy process. I was sitting in a chair beside the desk where the tech was working. It would have seemed normal to take out our cell phones and do a quick check on what’s happening in the world of social media during this process. Instead with our cell phones in view but not touched, we had a conversation. We had a good conversation. It began mostly about work, then remembering that this person was out the previous week, I asked him about his time off from the office. He told me about the vacation he and his wife had just taken. His face lit up while talking about his vacation. His facial expressions and body language conveyed emotions and feelings that no emoji could. During our conversation we talked about different areas of the country that we had both traveled. We talked about the vastness and beauty of the United States and how in our travels we would meet people we didn’t know but began a conversation with and found out that in many instances we had a lot in common. We had the same thought that yes, technology is great; it’s a necessity, but it does have its drawbacks. The personal human encounter is missing in many circumstances. He mentioned to me that on his recent vacation to the Ozarks he and his wife had to travel down many country roads where there was no interstate system. We talked about how years ago when we were both younger, our families would travel from state to state sometimes and would have to map out a route on a physical map before
6 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • July 2022
traveling on a vacation. In those days it was common to frequent many mom and pop stores, and restaurants while traveling. It was a way to meet people, share stories and make memories that would last a lifetime. It’s not hard to strike up a conversation with someone even during this time of such division in our country. In many instances you will find that there is much common ground that we share with each other. There are five characteristics of a common ground conversation and ways to approach a good conversation: • Be fully present in the conversation. • Realize and vocalize the things you agree on. • Seek understanding more than being right. • Honor the other person. • Commit to communicate with kindness. When we embrace these ideas and have conversations with people who share different opinions, we find that we can grow into better versions of ourselves. Remember, after reading Bayou Catholic, pass it on to a friend or relative who might not be attending Mass. It’s one of the great ways to do your part in spreading the Good News.
Lawrence
Lawrence Chatagnier Editor & General Manager
