Chatting on Social Media - It Began With a Simple "Hello!"

I can't imagine life without my communication devices. I came from a generation who witnessed life before the internet, and now I can't see myself not indulging myself with the services and convenience the internet offers. Indeed, the internet took over almost everything - boosting productivity, holding meetings, enhancing photography, information dissemination, and efficient communication. If there's one thing the internet has made an impact on the lives of people, it's the way it ushered communication.

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And one modality is chatting. Oh, I love chatting. In fact, I'd rather chat my messages than communicate via phone call. I can think over my replies through short messages and minimize my blunders in expressing myself. Chatting is a lifesaver for an introvert like me. I can reply right away or delay my response until God knows when.

Chatting has given me a lot of benefits. For one, it keeps me connected with my loved ones. It keeps me in the loop with whatever happens in almost all my circle of friends. With just a few taps, I can update them with what's going on in my life. I can also ask them whenever, wherever. Distance no longer matters because even my friends I haven't seen in a while, those who have moved miles away from me, are not beyond reach. I can still communicate with them, thanks to various chatting apps and social media on my handy smartphone.

Chatting also keeps me informed. Even though I am an introvert, I hate FOMO - fear of missing out. I hate it when I don't know what's happening around me and I can't relate to whatever everyone's talking about. Somehow, I want to know. And perhaps this is one of the downsides of excessive chatting. It keeps me preoccupied until I have wasted a precious amount of time. My desire to get in the loop and scoop out all the information I can get brings me into a rabbit hole of wasted time and opportunities. Most of the time, I regret the things I could have done with those wasted hours.

But to be fair, chatting apps and social media are neutral. They just magnify the values and attitudes of its user. At the end of the day, chatting and messaging apps are just tools. They are meant to make our lives easier. It's up to us whether we'll allow ourselves to be its captive - hook, line, and sinker.

But as for me, I am learning to let go of excessive use of messaging apps. Besides, why should I spend precious hours online when I can talk to my favorite people in person?

And before I forget. If there's one good thing I gained from chatting, it's when I met my girlfriend, now my wife, and our love story began with a simple "Hello!"

And the rest is history, so they say.

That's it! Enjoy chatting, but chat moderately!