We've lost our porch!

A few weeks ago we were talking around the dinner table about how much we know about each other. This all started with an assignment that the girls received from their Young Women's class at church. We all made guesses about each other like our favorite colors, favorite foods, pastimes, hobbies, sports teams and the like. Kathy made the comment that her favorite thing to do as a family was simply sitting out in the driveway on summer evenings and talking. I was somewhat surprised by her response. With all the things that kids, and adults, have at their disposal these days I found it interesting that simply talking was her favorite.

We as a family don't really have a front porch. Well, I guess we do but its not really that big and it would be somewhat crowded with more than just a couple of people sitting about and talking. Our place on summer evenings is the driveway right out in front of the garage door. I can't tell you how many times we have sat out there as the sun goes down and simply talked about things that are going on in our lives, our family, friends, neighbors, school, work, girls, boys, whatever. Its a great time and apparently a very popular thing that we do. There have been many times over the years that I've spent some time there alone in a chair in the cool of the evening and watched the world go by. I have to admit as well that there have been some times when I have wished that others shared my love of sitting and talking but...

But sitting and simply visiting with neighbors and friends is a lost art. When was the last time that you saw someone on their front porch, rocking away the evening, visiting with others and enjoying one another's company? It just doesn't happen any more. We've substituted emails, text messaging, satellite television, the telephone, cell phones, and other advances in technology for the front porch. And in that process, I believe, we've lost the art of simply talking and visiting.