We live in a society that prizes instant gratification. We have instant messaging, instant rice, instant coffee, and a myriad of other "instants." Regular mail, as opposed to email, is now referred to as "snail mail."
Don't get me wrong. I enjoy the ease and convenience of many of the instant products. I love email as a way to send a quick question to a friend, an editor, etc. And who can resist rice that cooks in minutes rather than a half hour or so? I don't drink coffee, but if I did, I imagine I would like the speed of instant coffee.
Still. There are many things that take time, that require effort, that demand we expend a bit of ourselves. As much as I appreciate email, I refuse to give up sending cards to a friend or a family member. Sending a card is not expedient, nor is it cost-efficient. But it has other benefits.
What else takes time? Saying a prayer, a meaningful prayer, requires some thought and effort. I doubt that Heavenly Father is accepting emails as a replacement. Visiting a friend takes time, too. As does listening to someone who needs a sympathetic ear.
This I know for sure: an instant life misses out on many joys.
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