Last month I had the pleasure of appearing on our local ABC7 News to comment on a new service, called Slydial.

Click here to view the broadcast

Slydial is a cell phone messaging service. When you make a call, it immediately connects you to the person’s voicemail. The phone never rings, so you avoid any contact with the friend you are calling. It is truly what the name implies, a “sly dial.”

Call in sick to work, break up with your girlfriend without ever speaking to her, call a talkative auntie to thank her for your birthday gift---all now can be accomplished without speaking to the person directly.

We live in a world where new inventions and innovative technology are always being developed and put on the market. Yet, is it okay for us to use available technology without considering the ethics or integrity of it? We need to ask ourselves, “How does this affect my relationship with the person for whom I am bypassing personal contact and just leaving messages?” The mature, forthright person knows not to use such devices, is willing to be up-front with his or her messages, and would not try to put one over on their friends, family, and others.

In preparing for the news story, I became concerned about products and services that don’t always work in our best interests toward building a better society. As a result, I am dedicating this month’s message to simply say: From this day forward, I promise to think through every decision, action, and every word I say with care. I hope you will do the same. And the care I mean is the care of thinking through whether this decision, action, or word will enhance my relationships.

Caring enough about other people to do and say the right things matter. The next time you choose to avoid an interaction with someone, ask if it will enhance the relationship and life in which you are living, or not?

We are all accustomed to email and voicemail, yet both already lessen human contact. A good percentage of technology has its place, but when abused and misused, can detract from the quality of our all our lives.

Each of us holds the “final answer” as to what and how we want to build a better life for ourselves and others. Let’s make the right choices in what technology we choose to use that will enhance and improve our friendships and relationships with our other fellow human beings.