Manners Matter: Unplug!

Dear Mary Pat,

I was reminded last night that we do need to unplug from informational overload. My husband said that from now on, conversation at the dinner table won’t be about the virus or work, and that we all need to put our phones away in the evening. 

He is absolutely right. We are absorbed 24/7 with local and national news, and it robs us of our peace of mind. There are so many opinions and news alerts and virus tallies that we are incapable of talking or thinking of anything else, so I just wanted to let people know that they can take a break and live life with as much joy as possible during this uncertain time.

Signed,

Silence Is Golden

Fish Creek, Wisconsin

Dear Silence Is Golden,

Thank you for your reminder. This is a stressful time for so many, with health issues, job insecurity and getting bad news from all directions. 

I am no different. As a business owner, I’ve been in constant communication with my customers, vendors, local leaders, governmental agencies, banker, accountant, insurance agent, friends and family. Local small businesses have had to rewrite the plan on how to function this year. Companies all around the world are doing the same. We cannot get consumed by the information, though, in the process.

Let’s all try to disconnect a little bit and focus on some of the good that has come out of this: families sitting down for meals together and not having to rush off to a meeting or practice, people going back to basics by learning how to bake or garden, long walks through the woods without needing to head to the office, taking Sundays off instead of putting in 12 hours, and living in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. If we look for them, the blessings are there, and the glass is fuller than we think.

Good luck,

Mary Pat