TWOSDAY: Communication — Then vs Now!

Once upon a time, before smartphones ruled our palms and Wi-Fi became our daily bread, communication was an Olympic sport. No jokes, if you wanted to reach someone in the 90s, you needed effort, creativity and sometimes divine intervention.

Let’s start from the letter-writing era. Back then, letters were the real “text messages.” You’d sit with your Bic pen and flowery writing pad, start with “How are you and how is the family?” and end with “Yours faithfully.” Some even sprayed perfume or sealed it with lipstick for that extra touch of love. Then, you’d drop it at the post office and wait, sometimes weeks hoping Mr. Postman would actually deliver it. And when that reply finally came? Goosebumps! You’d read it like it was Shakespeare.

Then came landlines and telephone booths. Those big black rotary phones that looked like they could summon ancestors. One ring and the whole house would scatter — “Who’s calling us?” You’d answer carefully: “Hello, who is on the line?” And heaven help you if the person you wanted to speak to wasn’t around — “Call back later” was a full stop. Public phone booths were even more dramatic; you’d queue with coins, trying to shout “Can you hear me?” over crackling noise that sounded like thunder.

Fast-forward to now and the game has changed completely. One tap and boom you’re in a video call with someone across the world. No need to trek or wait for letters. We’ve moved from pen and paper to screens and swipes. Conversations now come with emojis, GIFs, memes and even filters. You can “LOL” “LMAO” and “😂” your way through an entire day without saying a single word out loud.

But while everything is faster and fancier something about those old-school ways still hits different. There was an intentionality in taking time to write, visit or wait. Messages carried more weight because they took time. Today, we send hundreds of “heys” but still feel disconnected. Maybe we need to slow down again mix the best of both worlds. Send that text, yes but also make that call. Visit. Write a note. Say “I miss you” to someone and mean it.

Because whether it’s a love letter that takes a week to deliver or a WhatsApp chat that takes seconds to send, communication has always been about one thing — connection.

This Tuesday is your reminder to pause, reach out and reconnect, not just through screens but through hearts.