One of the ways one stays in touch with friends is through this wonderful thing we call the post. I cannot speak well enough of how important it is to maintain contact in the various ways available to us: the Internet via email, faxes, telephones, cell phones, but somehow, the idea of a letter, romantic for some, is merely an idea torn from yesteryear. People do not imagine using their hands to write letters anymore. There is "quick" messaging from one's Instant Messenger site, there is Facebook or MySpace, etc. We can keep in contact with two hundred of my nearest friends. But what of time? Do I need to know this instant the news which my friend has yet to offer me? What difference does it make whether I know of his well-being right this moment or in the four days following, when I am able to sit down with a cup of China black tea, after work, sitting in the garden, reading his words. Ronald Rolheiser has suggested that we do not necessarily need to be more faithful but we do need to be aware of how busy we have become. In this busy-ness, we become less aware of one another, rushing past one another, hurrying from one activity to the next, speaking more and more quickly, failing to listen at all to what the other person has to say. Are social skills diminishing? For some, yes. And it is no surprise when people have so little practice at conversing. The most civilized thing we can do is have a real conversation. But that takes a bit of focus. Slowing down, listening, all the things which our culture is saying we do not need to do because it is rush, rush, rush. Standing in lines, waiting in lines, reading, cooking, gardening, these things cannot be rushed. I am glad. Sarton was right about that.