Real Interaction with People, once the only way to communicate with others, is becoming the victim of a slow death.

            There was a time when you could look a person in the eye and share thoughts and opinions in a civil manner, each person sensing the feelings of the other by a smile, frown, or grimace on their face.

            Today's era of social media has replaced the look on a persons' face with "emoji's" – little images that are supposed to take the place of a real person when texting or typing out email messages.

            Heck, for emphasis you can CAPITALIZE your electronic message to show that you're either excited of angry, depending on the emoji you select to go with your typed words.

            And, the technical giants who provide the world with social media are even inventing more emoji's – just be careful when you use them.  They have various meanings in different parts of the world.

            Talking to each other seemed so natural but, in today's world, it seems that time is of the essence.  Too many people think they have the need to keep in touch with as many people as they can, as often as they can.

            You sit down at a local restaurant and more and more you see entire families sitting down and immediately jumping on their cell-phones after they order.  Nary a word of conversation between the family members.

            Maybe they're texting each other?

            Perhaps if people verbally conversed more often, instead of hiding behind the firewall of social media, civil and social courtesies would reappear.

            Think about it.  Do you know how to have meaningful, verbal conversations with others?  Where and how did you learn civil and social courtesies to extend to others while conversing?  Are you able to express your thoughts and ideas effectively to others?  Are you able to listen to others, even if you disagree? 

            If your answer is yes to those questions you probably began your leaning process at home.  In today's helter-skelter, high-tech world that seems to have been replaced by, well, high-tech ways to communicate with others.  It seems that many youngsters are learning how to text before they learn how to socialize with others and many adults have forgotten how to "keep a civil tongue."

            There are times when one needs to stop and think about what they are about to write or say.  If you're angry, wait until you cool off before you type something you'll regret.  Once it's entered into the world of social media, lots of people will see it and it will be there for a long time.

            People tend to spend too much time telling you what they were instead of focusing on what they are and what they can be.

            You may have hundreds of "friends" on social meeting but do you know them all?  Have you met them all?  Are they friends, acquaintances, or just a contact on social media? 

            Meeting, sharing with, talking to, and most importantly, listening to people is the tried and true way to make and keep real friends.

            But, alas, that train is leaving the station.

            So it appears that we are rapidly saying "Rest In Peace" to Real Interaction with People.