Face to face. It a term used to describe an interaction between two individuals. It was the only way to do business, personal or otherwise, for the first three quarters of the 20th century. Good business practice and good manners dictated you went and contacted people face to face. Yes we may use the phone or a letter to set the time and the place to meet but we took the time to meet with them face to face. It is a concept that is fading today for a lot of people and it is breeding a spirit of indifference towards others and dampens the human spirit.

Interpersonal relations have been the cornerstone of strong societies since there were people on this big blue marble. The conveyance of ideas and ideologies can be shared with the written word but grows with humans sharing these ideas face to face. Passion can come through words but not with the same strength of the interactions between the human to human connection. There is a dynamic, a transference of energy in such encounters that the written word can not match.

Ideas, wants or needs have to be expressed in person for there to be real life breathed into them. A text message or an e-mail should  only be a patch if you will between two people  on issues of mutual interest whether personal or otherwise. Instead we use these methods as the only way ideas and thoughts are exchanged. They should never be the only vehicle for delivering such messages, though they have a value in this fast-in-your face times. You can save time for sure but take time out to interact face to face as the means to get the big picture/ idea conveyed to the other person or parties.

One real world application of this is for those who have lost their job as I had experienced in October of 08:If you get your face in a place you will get more interviews, and eventually employment, than a thousand online job applications or phone calls. It is easier for someone to say no to a letter or a phone than to someone in person. As a sales rep who does cold calls I am also realizing and seeing the real value in taking the extra effort demanded of face to face interactions and applying it daily. This can and should be applied thought to all facets of our lives. I encourage all to take the time to be more aware of the need to challenge ourselves and to live out our lives face to face.