Finger Induced Infidelity

The advent of the cellular phone is one remarkable milestone in the history of communications technology.  Through it, the verbal exchange has fast escalated to a high level.  What used to take weeks to arrive at one's doorstep --- the traditional hand written messages , I mean--- now takes but a split second.  Fast indeed, but unfortunately, impersonal and sometimes shallow and if not, too full of pretense.  Yes, indeed.  With only the fingers as the means of transmitting messages from one person to another and with the feeling of safety brought about by the anonymity of "only" the mobile number, one can create a scenario completely different from what reality is.  To phrase it more bluntly, text messaging has fast become an instrument of deceit and infidelity.

Even with the physical presence of a lover --- or a spouse --- nearby, a partner could "unknowingly' be involved in a verbal tryst --- a verbal affair --- with another person.  Many fall into the common trap: emotional attachment brought about by the sugar coated words of the text mate even without one ever realizing it.  True, one doesn't feel at all guilty at having to share personal secrets, feelings, thoughts --- even a few below the belt banters --- after all, there is no physical involvement that's happening.  But isn't it also said that when one unzips his/her heart to someone other than his/her spouse, it it the same thing as unzipping his/her jeans?   Little by little, what begins as an innocent friendship through an exchange of friendly text messages and gradually becomes not so innocent flattery becomes the source of conflict for what used to be a solid relationship.   Before one is even aware of it, the emotional virus brought about by the cellular phone has become successful in eroding  the most essential foundations of a relationship: trust and respect.

Text messaging had been designed to keep communication lines open for people whose means of living have kept them apart from loved ones left behind. But what has happened is that, it is already employed by some to cheat on a spouse, generate income through fraudulent means --- I don't have to spell everything letter by letter because I have implied it clearly enough. Lately, it has become the gadget of doom especially for the young men and women who have fallen prey to its fatal tentacles --- the young  girls of 14 and 15 who get pregnant all too soon --- or worse, raped and murdered by the sweet-talking text mate.  It has also become a gadget of marriage destruction especially for the insecure husband and wife who couldn't find the compliment of a husband and/or a wife at home and whose heart skips a beat when someone sends a text message that tickles the ego notwithstanding the fact that there are people who have been hurt in the process.  

Oh well, is this gadget even worth the cost of a solid family? I don't think so.  That's why I have been

too careful as to how I use the cellphone.  I own two units. One I use for work and one for my husband.  But I never engage in useless exchange of senseless and childish flattery.  I don't entertain messages that aren't important since I delete them as soon as they are received. Oh, I don't care so much what people will say about what I do and how I do things, but I care a lot about how my husband will feel --- because I know I wouldn't like it one bit if I found out he'd been saying sweet nothings to someone else even if it's only through the supposed anonymity of the text message.  I wouldn't want to read romantic lines meant for him that do not come from me.

I am not jealous, I tell you.  It's just that I have this eerie sense of knowing what happens even before it happens.  Well, it's not something extraordinary actually because everyone knows that when one plays with fire, eventually, he gets burned. I just do not want to make a bet with the devil because I know that he would do everything in his power to win --- even with innocent text messaging.

I don't want to enjoy too much, the sheer thrill and power and joy brought about by the sugar coated words of a text mate because I might unknowingly fall in love with words... and scatter the debris of a shattered family and a broken home in its wake.  I don't want to destroy the sanctity of my marriage just because of an emotional infidelity brought about by my wayward fingers ... and my overfed ego.

Well, well... just my two cents worth... 

If you don't like it cause it stings, click on the exit sign and leave.  But if it makes some sense, please ponder --- it might not be too late after all.