e-mail habits.

I get a tremendous sense of happiness when I see mail in my inbox from friends, relatives and well wishers. I believe that it's through this electronic correspondence that I'm able to 'talk' to people with whom I'd have, otherwise, preferred to be with everyday of my life! I 'see' and 'feel' the sender as I read the contents of the mail. Therefore, when it comes to my turn, I put my heart and soul into everything that I scribble in my mail.

I dunno whether I'm expecting too much from the others because many of them might be too busy that they do not have the time to spend in front of their PCs, unlike me! But here too, I'd like to play the Devil's advocate and say that one's never - repeat, never - busy when it comes to one's near and dear ones!! And hence my doubt.

Meaningless 'forwards' are sent by many, making me wonder as to what purpose is being achieved by the sender in doing so. Are they indirectly trying to tell me that, 'hey, look here chum I've nothing of interest to tell you but you'd better send me meaningful mail and don't you dither! That's my right'. Grossly unfair upon poor me!!

To cite another example, today, I'm amused to find a flurry of wedding anniversary wishes in my inbox - from my classmates group - wishing the gentleman(by name) and no, it's not mine if you please. Obviously, they did not know his wife's name and did not take the trouble to find out as to what it was from somebody who knew it! The basic courtesy is that wedding anniversary wishes are always conveyed to both husband and wife. And all these class fellows of mine are fully aware of these traditions. If so, why did they make that unpardonable mistake? I suppose - pardon me for being brutally critical -they simply don't care! And have done just a routine thing!!

For god's sake, e-mails have a tremendous meaning!

Tailpiece.

And today, I'm told that one can attend important functions 'virtually' despite being away in far places thanks to the magic of the cyberworld. And to cite an illustration, the media talks of two brothers, working in the Americas, who'd witnessed their mother's last moments and consequently, attended her funeral in an obscure hamlet near Kottayam, through a website created for the purpose!

Isn't it ludicrous?