The Value Of Voicemail

Last Sunday I hung out with my eleven-year old godson, Finn.  The plan was to visit a wildlife animal refuge center that we go to every year at the start of summer vacation and then on to Target to find an early birthday gift and then cap it off with some ice-cream at our favorite shop.

About five minutes into the visit, Finn whipped out his I-phone, that was in a penguin faced protective case.  Before I could say anything, his nimble fingers had switched on a game.  I told him to put it away—this was a phone-free visit (I don’t take calls when I’m with him, except from his mother).  He smiled sheepishly and said that he wanted to play a game while we drove to the animal center.

I said ‘no.’ He’s a sweet boy and so he didn’t put up much of an argument, but in a deliberately whiney voice he asked, “what am I supposed to do?”  “How about we talk?”  “Talk about what?”  Ugh!

We played a guessing game for part of the drive and then he switched over to that annoying game children love to play where I say something and he repeats every word in the exact same tone, so that it produces a nonsensical conversation that he found wildly amusing.

We had a grand time with the animals and on the drive to Target we discussed which were our favs.  As picking out a birthday gift is serious business, there wasn’t much talk in the store.

When we got to the ice cream stand at The Grove (a popular outdoor mall here in LA) he reached for the penguin, but put it away when he saw me arch my eyebrows.

It was a sweet, silly visit and the day flew by because we were in the moment—each moment. 

I’d gotten several phone calls during the day but I let each go to voicemail.  Why didn’t I take the calls?  Because I wanted to be with Finn.  I didn’t want our time interrupted by people whose needs could wait a few hours.  Because I wanted to be in the moment without anyone or anything pulling Finn or me out of the fun and silliness of the moment.

When’s the last time you were with someone and neither you nor that person answered the phone during your conversation?  When’s the last time you were “in the moment” without any distractions?

I encourage you to try it—let your phone go to voicemail.  Not every call has to be answered in the moment it’s received.  Give your full attention to another person and you will create a quality experience.