Have people forgotten the proper etiquette of communication? I mean, when there's big news to tell in years gone by, people would either call or send out letters announcing said "news".

Now, people have resorted to using email. Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of the instantaneous form of contact, but there are certain times and ways that this media format is appropriate.

I'm going to tell this story in a fictional manner so as to protect the innocent. And the guilty. {giggle}

So, yeah. Here goes. I'm gonna say that I have this friend. Friend has a cousin. Cousin got married last August. Cousin came from a challenging adolescence. Cousin's parents not so great at holding down jobs. Cousin's dad partakes in the Happy Plant from time to time and his favorite friend is Budweiser.

Cousin was on the Varsity Basketball team since her freshman year. Cousin decided she wanted to go to college and get involved with sports medicine somehow. All of Friend's family was proud of Cousin because Cousin was seemingly going to break the mold. Cousin graduated high school a year ago. Cousin got married 3 months later. Cousin's hubby, while seemingly a very nice guy and treats her right, somehow didn't encourage to keep with the dream of college. She gave up the dream. Cousin and Hubby finally got their own place.

Yesterday, Friend's Wife gets an email from Friend's StepMother. The subject line of the email says: (again, remember I'm protecting the innocent and the guilty so no real names will be used!)

"cousin is all set up"

Friend's Wife opens email. Email then says:

you can now go on line to:
walmart
target
babies r us
toys r us

and contact Cousin's Friend for her baby shower"

Well, imagine Friend's Wife's shock! To find out that Friend's cousin is pregnant in an email and said cousin hasn't been married a year yet. Friend's Cousin is also not quite 20 years old.

Friend's Wife couldn't decide if she was more shocked that the email revealed that Cousin was pregnant or that Cousin was pregnant so soon after getting married when Cousin is so very young and isn't financially stable.

Friend talked to Wife and had the same feelings as Wife. He was surprised that Cousin was pregnant and he was shocked to find out from Wife's email.

So, that's my story. And I'm sticking to it. The moral: If you have important news, there are better ways to share it than through a generic email, people!!!

Of course, I wish the best of luck for Friend's Cousin, but I still think that too many people get married and have babies right away especially when they're barely an adult themselves. People mistakenly think that a baby will automatically draw a husband and wife closer together, but in reality, it can so dramatically change the dynamics of the family unit that it can become a wedge between them---especially if the marriage is new and fragile.

And before I receive hateful email or comments, I'm simply trying to share my point of view that young couples should wait a few years before starting a family...get to know each other as people as well as in your new roles as husband and wife.

Still my story. Still stickin' to it!

Until next time...peace, love & HEALTH!!!