Lately I have noticed that a lot of telephone conversations are really insubstantial. To be sure, an inane conversation can still build relationship, but how many times do we get on the phone because we are bored and have nothing to do? What might happen if, instead of just calling someone to eliminate boredom, we sat with that feeling to see what happens, what we discover? What if we took a telephone fast, refraining from unnecessary phone calls for a day, a few days, or even a week. We could tell our friends we were going on a technology fast. It doesn’t count, by the way, if instead of talking on the phone we send text messages or chat on the computer! Start with an achievable goal, even if it is just for an afternoon, and increase your time the next week. You might eventually choose one day a week that you will not make any unnecessary calls on an ongoing basis. Give it a try!