“Speech is civilization itself. The word, even the most contradictory word, preserves contact—it is silence which isolates.” Those words, written by Thomas Mann many years ago, seem more than relevant today as we distance ourselves physically from one another. Of course, as one who has contacted many more people through the written word than through the spoken, I recognize how important it is to keep in touch when we can’t talk face to face. Even a hermit like me needs contact with the outside world occasionally, so think about all those stressed-out extroverts! We have all the electronic resources we need. No excuses for not taking the time to write an encouraging email or text. Our phones, whether landline or mobile, still work. And, yes, the mail is being picked up and delivered. Let’s keep communicating, folks!
Briefly Speaking 