Lotus Notes
If you're a SA computer user, it's likely that you use Lotus Notes. Some of our people are happy about what the software does for them and others are not so happy. Everyone's entitled to their opinion. In our territory it is the official form of written communication and it works just fine.
Isn't it amazing how much quicker we tend to respond to messages and how much quicker we expect others to respond to us? In the old days, (that makes me laugh just to type it) we used to allow a couple of days to pass between letters. There was something healthy about taking some time to form your thoughts and be certain of the correct response. For some letters, we were told to go ahead and write them, put them in a drawer for a day or two and then read it again to see if you should have sent it. Most of those letters were never sent, because time had healed emotions and wisdom raised its head.
So take time to read your e-mail today and don't always think you need to jump on the answer. A few moments in between can be therapeutic.
Proverbs 14:30 (MSG)
30 "A sound mind makes for a robust body, but runaway emotions corrode the bones."
Isn't it amazing how much quicker we tend to respond to messages and how much quicker we expect others to respond to us? In the old days, (that makes me laugh just to type it) we used to allow a couple of days to pass between letters. There was something healthy about taking some time to form your thoughts and be certain of the correct response. For some letters, we were told to go ahead and write them, put them in a drawer for a day or two and then read it again to see if you should have sent it. Most of those letters were never sent, because time had healed emotions and wisdom raised its head.
So take time to read your e-mail today and don't always think you need to jump on the answer. A few moments in between can be therapeutic.
Proverbs 14:30 (MSG)
30 "A sound mind makes for a robust body, but runaway emotions corrode the bones."
posted by Jim Knaggs | 8:03 PM
7 Comments:
Sometimes it is good to treat it just like that letter you spoke of, write it, let it sit in draft, until you have that chance to really use the wisdom that God gives each of us. Maybe it won't be sent either, just like the letters!
LOTUS is Bogus!
Another rule, never say anything in an e-mail, about anyone, that you wouldn't say to their face.
I'm in Toronto at THQ for Employee Relations meetings. A bunch of us were exchanging e-mail horror stories over supper this evening. Most of them centered around not taking a moment to double-check the recipient name(s) in the To box. Nothing worse than a front-line Officer discovering what DHQ staff is really saying about them.
Hmmm. I think I will think about my comment for a while before I hit publish! :) Good advice and it makes one wonder what inspired it today!;)
It's a pleasant surprise to hear from i mck. Click on his link for a bloging adventure.
The problem I had with the "old way" was I would put the letter to be read two days later and forget about it for six months.
I got into an email discussion on this concept with a brother in the context of blogging and blog comments - how the media (like email) can sometimes promote less than well-thought-out responses.
Once or twice in my career, I have successfully used the MS Outlook Recall feature, sometimes even just moments after sending something "hot" - having quickly sobered up about the content of the message!
It's an interesting chapter in the grand history / evolution of human communication. I'm glad to see God using email, blogs and the like, despite the occasional pitfalls that go with the instantaneous nature of the technology.
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