Equal Sign, Parenthesise =)

Today, I would like to start with an experiment.
{Probably stemming from my psychology degree and it is something that has striked my fancy lately}

How would you read a phrase with the same words, "written" differently?

Have a nice day!

Have a nice day?

Have a nice day =)

Have a nice day =/ 

Have a nice day =(

Have a nice day =X

Have a nice day =P

Have a nice day...haha!

Have a nice day...lol

Have a nice day.

It has come to my attention that (obviously), despite the words being the same, the punctuation (and now "smiley faces or words that deem laughter) determines the "mood" of the sentence, despite proper grammar.

Experiment number 2.

Imagine you have had an amazing day...the sun is shining, you found $20 in your skinny jeans, birds are chirping, you got a huge bonus at work ($), your grandma sent you a present "just because," your significant other got you flowers and chocolate, and made you dinner (<3) and now you are relaxing after your lovely day.

You check up on your 700 facebook friends.

You read:
Have a nice day

No punctuation. No good/bad/angry/tongue-sticker-outer-smiley.

How do you read it?

Based off of how your day is going?
{Your sunny, shinny, glorious, beautiful, everything is beautiful day}

Have a nice day!
Have a nice day =)
Have a nice day =P

Or do you read it based off of how you think the other person is saying it?
{what if they are in a bad mood?}
{what if they are in a great mood?}
{what if???}


Experiment number 3.

The next day after your amazing, perfect, sun is shining, no one could burst your bubble day, you wake up on the other side of the bed (the wrong side), and it is downright ugly awful. It's raining and snowing, your cat hates you, your car wont start, your dog pooped in the refrigerator, your pets heads are falling off (that's a movie quote for those of you who don't know)...basically it is a crappy day (which we all have now and again).

You again, check up on your 702 facebook friends.

You read:
Have a nice day

How do you read that same phrase, same words, on this day?

Based off of how your day is going?
{Your horrible, hide in a hole, I think I'll go eat worms day}

Have a nice day =/
Have a nice day =(
Have a nice day =X
Have a nice day...grrrr...

Or do you read it based off of how you think the other person is saying it?

Or do you read it based off of the 'quarky things' that run through our head a million times per second-based off of our mood/emotions?
{they don't really want me to have a nice day}
{why would they want me to have a nice day}
{they are just bragging about their great day when my day sucks}


I ask these questions because "written words" (text, facebook, twitter, etc) has transformed the way we, as a society, communicate with each other.

Do we read what people write based off of that person's character or based off of how you are feeling that day?
Maybe someone says something (with no punctuation, God forbid) and they are "saying" it with a smile, but because of whatever goes on in another person's head, it becomes totally misconstrued.

It also makes me wonder what the true view is of our friends.

We no longer need to call our friends and catch each other up on our lives because we saw each other's status updates all week.

We no longer need to bring photo albums to work to show off pictures our kids because our co-workers saw the latest twitpics of our trip to the zoo.

Now please understand, that I am, by no means, against social networking.
It has been a great resource to re-connect with old and new friends, keep my grandma that lives across the country "in the loop," post pictures of my random cat, and give my clients nutrition resources/information.
{and to put up thoughts like this one}

I just think that personal communication and vocal communication has become somewhat like a house phone or a vinyl record

(uhh, who has those anymore...I'm sure someone can text you a list of who still has that stuff)

equal sign, parenthesise

I admit, I do it too. I text. I network socially. No one is perfect (thank the good Lord).

I am trying to work on spending more face-to-face, in person, time and/or speaking voice-to-voice time with family and friends.

I also am working on reading the things on my 'wall' through the eyes of love, through an attitude that gives people the benefit of the doubt, and tries to see the best in each person even if I have had a bad day and there is no smiley or punctuation.

I can choose to see people how Jesus see's them.
{even though I will always fall short}
As a treasure. A special gift.
His beloved.

Have a nice day