One of us would run down a house or two, duck behind a car or around the corner of a neighbors house. The other would push the talk button on the side, say something, and wait for the magic to happen – for the familiar sound of the voice of our sister or brother through the speaker. Think it was mostly Kathleen. Dan and Tim were older and not nearly as easy to impress or coax into modern, wireless communication.
We had walkie-talkies for Christmas. As in “Let’s go play walkie-talkie!” Dad and Mom got them for us from Sears. Think they were supposed to work up to a mile! They rarely communicated clearly beyond 100 yards. The instructions had guidelines on “line of sight” use. But what fun is talking through a walkie-talkie if you can just as easily raise your voice?
We’ve long since outgrown walkie-talkie range. We each now have phones of the future that can easily communicate audio or even video anywhere on the planet with incredible clarity.
I’ve never had a video conversation with my siblings. I know how. Just can’t imagine it. We love each other deeply and reach out to each other rarely. Don’t remember the last time all four of us were together.
That’s a sad admission.
Debi chides me about it. She’ll ask how one of my siblings is, I’ll reply that it’s been awhile since we’ve talked, “Do you think I should call?”
Debi always says the same thing: “Wish I could call my brother.” Gary, her only sibling, died far too young. He would have liked walkie-talkies. Bet he had some. We loved each other, rarely called to talk, even in the years he was dying. Wish I could call her brother too. Miss him.
My devotion this morning closed with this simple statement about our relationship with God: “We want works, then character. He insists on reversing the order.”
Our walkie-talkies never lived up to our hopes. The fact that Dad and Mom stretched to give us a totally unnecessary gift will always be remembered. My siblings and I may someday regret the many times we could have just picked up the phone to shoot the breeze – maybe even stretched to get together occasionally on a video conference call (or is it called something else now?) But the knowledge of knowing we can call, they will respond in love, that our family is one even when we’re scattered, gives us strength.
Dad and Mom gave us that. They built a home, a family and taught us how to love each other even when communication doesn’t seem to get any further than those closest to us.
If I could, I’d call them to say thanks, but like Debi, “Sure wish I could call Dad and Mom.”
If our actions are the best indicators of our character maybe it’s time for me to pick up the phone and remind the people I care about that I’m still here, I still love them and enjoy hearing the magic of their voice.
Maybe there’s someone you’ve been meaning to call as well. Today’s National Use Your Phone Like a Walkie-talkie Day. Or maybe it could be… Call someone just to hear their voice again and to tell them they’re always on your mind.
It may be just what they need.