Cristina Peerenboom

While yes, the way we hit on each other has taken us on a ride far, far off course from our destination of closeness and connection, I believe, with a bit of adjustment, we can hop on the right path.

We are women, and we are not equal. We are better. Let’s be even better.

Doritos is a brand. Starbucks is a brand. Walmart is a brand. The computer you’re reading this on…that’s a brand. And you, I hope, are not. I hope you are a person.

Real life is you. Your stories are what are real; your experience is the data we all desperately need.

I know it’s hard. This is for you.

“But how am I going to get a hold of you?” they say.

Eliminating texting has removed the most forgiving medium for the “white lie” to live in. We get away with murder in the House of Text. We spill blood, but never have to get it on our hands.

This implicit rule on calling vs. texting must be an indicator that it’s not really about doing what feels good anymore. Courtship has become centered around keeping options open. Staying comfortable. Staying safe.

It’s the one form of communication where we’re all equally reachable and the conversation never ends. 

There’s a huge distinction between noise and love; between contact and communication. We don’t ever have to feel that distinction, or learn from it, because our text-heavy culture drowns it out. 

Texting doesn’t feel real. There’s no accountability.

2017, you showed me how to love myself across months of confusion, mayhem, and sorrow.

How the actual fuck am I going to survive being single and #textless? That’s a whole separate beast I’m not gonna dangle a steak in front of right now.

Once I started thinking about life without texting, I realized I hadn’t ever stopped to consider that there might be another way to be in contact.

A little sacrifice here, a little “I’ll just tolerate it” there, and before you know it, you’re 20 miles from home and have no idea how you got there.