I use my cell phone throughout the day for my job. I am constantly getting in touch with coworkers and families. Today was a pretty scheduled day, so I wasn't incredibly stressed about not having the ability to get in touch with people without making a drive to the office. I did end up going into the office specifically to make a few phone calls, which I normally would have done on the road between visits. I also had an evaluation today and had no idea where the house was located, so I needed the office computer to look up directions and print them out. Justin and I typically check-in once or twice during the day and I didn't want him stressed out because he hadn't heard from me and couldn't reach me. I had to Google his work phone number because he doesn't get cell service at his building and I'm lucky to have his cell number memorized. I drove to my last visit at 4:30 and when I arrived the family wasn't home. This isn't a family that typically "no-shows" for visits, so I was surprised they hadn't gotten in touch with. Then I realized, they probably had and the message would be waiting for me at home.
By the time I got home I had 3 missed calls, 2 voicemails, 7 text messages, and 23 emails. Not as many as I thought, but still enough to make me feel like I missed some important information. The emails were mostly junk, so I guess nothing was lost there. The text messages were mostly work related, but I responded when I got home and no one seemed perturbed by my lack of immediate response. One text message was an update on a friend, and again, I responded just now and that was okay too. The missed calls and voicemails were 50/50. Two missed calls were work related, as was one voicemail - an explaination for why I showed up to an empty house. Had I got the message earlier I would have known to go to a different address, but when I talked to the little boy's Mom she just apologized for not letting me know sooner, and we rescheduled for next week. The second message was from Justin, just letting me know he was on his way home. I knew that when we both pulled into the driveway at the same time.
Overall, I didn't miss out on too much information. And I realize there was a time when people did my job without cell phones. I also know that husbands and wives were not always able to check-in quickly with a text or quick conversation during the day. But aren't we lucky to have that capability? I like being able to let Justin know that I'm thinking about him with a quick text message, especially when he's stressed out or feeling sad. I take comfort in knowing that if my Mom gets sick or something happens to a family member, I will know within minutes. If my home phone stops working and there is an emergency I can call 911 from my cell phone. These are all good things.
Tonight I am grateful for the ability to be in touch with people at a moment's notice. To call my Mom when I hear our favorite song, to check-in with friends who are going through a difficult time, to hear from families so I don't sit in their driveways for 15 minutes wasting gas, and to be able to say "I love you" whenever I want.
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