Dear Annie: I suspect you will receive numerous letters to this effect, but I felt compelled to respond to the letter from “Tired of Text Messages,” whose retired father is also persistent in his daily text messages. I didn’t get the impression that the letter writer was estranged with their father or had a tough relationship, so I have to say, what a wonderful problem to have. After college, I moved four hours away from home, and my dad and I kept in touch via daily emails and calls on our respective ways home from work.
Once text messaging was commonplace, my dad and I would often shoot each other random texts throughout the day. Most were of very little significance, just daily observations and updates or comments on our favorite sports team. My brother, who also moved away, did the same thing with him.
Yes, there were definitely times when the messages felt excessive while we may have been at work or on vacation, etc., and there were certainly times I got annoyed, but it was our way of staying in each other’s lives. My dad died last year and I wanted to tell “Tired” that I would give literally anything to see my phone light up with one more text from my dad.
I treasure the messages I do have saved on my phone because, mundane and ordinary as many of them are, rereading them feels like having another conversation with him. I know we all tend to take for granted the fact that our parents will always be there, and of course we get annoyed and frustrated by them a.
