Letters and phones

What if you sat down at the moment you thought of someone and wrote a long newsy letter about what is going on in your life, and asking questions about their life? Instead of texting, calling, emailing, what if, like Paul in his letters to the churches, wrote how thankful you are for them, and that your prayed for them whenever they came to mind? I used to write a lot of letters. Long before I had a blog I would try to email certain family members, just to keep in touch. Back as a child I had a couple of pen-pals, my cousin being the number one letter-giver/ receiver. But not many people write letters these days. I don't. Even though I want to. I want to sit down and correspond with certain people. And especially with the ones who don't use the computer for all its wonderful technological communication abilities. AND if I did I wouldn't have these embarrassing stories to tell you.
I don't text on my phone much. It takes me so long because I don't have the keypad - and I have to spell the words out (an English degree will do that to you). It's usually quicker, easier, less painful, for me to just call the person. However, this past week I thought I would try to reply to a text I got with by texting back. sigh.
On my phone I have a friend's name and cell number stored under her name. Unfortunately she has since changed her cell number - the fact I found out when I tried to call her on Tuesday. I got the voicemail of some stranger, a guy I don't know. So I just called the home number I had stored in there, and went on with my day.
Later in the afternoon, I received a text. It said "Who is this?" I had a good chuckle, and thought, oh C. you are funny; I thought she was being silly with me. If I had stopped to think, I would've realized something ... she doesn't normally play silly. Can you see where this is going?
So I texted her back, laughing to myself the whole time I punched the incredibly long message "This is J----" And I went on with my day. Another text message popped up, saying "I don't know any J-----" I chuckled again, thinking she is being so funny now. So I texted her back. Oh yes, I did. With my full name this time. And, "Do you know who I am now?" Oh yeah. And then, a few minutes later, my stomach got that sinking feeling, my face felt warm, and I thought ... oh-no. That phone call I made earlier in the day - that's what this is all about! My friend's name came up because that's what the number is entered in my phone as. But I don't know this person, and they don't know me, but now they have my name and cell number. Gack! I felt pretty embarrassed, pretty dumb. So of course, I quickly texted again (hey I'm getting to be a pro now) this message "Is this C----?" I haven't gotten a reply. And I've removed that cell number from my phone's memory.
And that's why we should write letters to people. Or maybe that's why I shouldn't text. Ever.