All of us have had experience with losing someone. Someone who isn't where they are supposed to be.
I had such an experience this week and by last evening we were frantic.
I had emailed my son and daughter about my medical situation. I do this when I want them to get exactly the same message.
My son replied in a couple of hours. Nothing from my daughter. Next day , nothing from my daughter but more from son and daughter- in- law. So I started emailing and messaging my daughter but no reply.
Third day no reply from daughter. I began to get very worried and stressed. My daughter lives in Chicago. I live in Alberta, Canada which is a long way from Chicago.
So last night we were super frantic. We could imagine all kinds of dreadful things that could have happened. About 9:30 last night when I was checking messenger after many times that day, I noticed that she was on line. Relief!
I was able to talk to her. Since her husband was off this week they more or less went off line so she had never seen all my emails. They both like gardening so had been outside. Of course, she was surprised that we were that worried and made many apologies.
Usually we think of children being lost. In this case a person wasn't really lost. We just couldn't make contact.
We did have a good sleep last night.
As the child of elderly parents, there comes a time when you never put the phone on silent and double check if you have been off line for a bit.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your daughter reappeared and I understand the stress
She was there all the time but off line.
DeleteKeeping track of adult children can be worrisome. With my hearing loss, sleeping whenever I want, and turning off my phone when my hearing devices are off anyway, my son and daughter-in-law don't worry if I don't respond for several hours. They call me if it's timely during normal hours. If I need them, which is the usual scenario, I'll hear from one of them, but not both with a reply to the text. If I call them they know I have something urgent, like a needed trip to the ER. My neighbors know to bang on my wall if a tornado is coming; Toto and Dorothy with the Wizard of Oz aren't so reliable. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteYou have your bases covered.
DeleteSo glad you "found" your "missing" daughter. When loved ones or friends don't reply to us right away we get concerned because we live in a world where we now expect instant communications.
ReplyDeleteIn my lifetime there's been revolution in communication. It's become almost instant.
DeleteI can understand why you were frantic! Maybe a message to you from her saying they would be offline could have prevented your concern.
ReplyDeleteWell , that's what's going to happen now.
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI am glad you daughter was ok, it is a worry when your family is not in contact. It is nice just to hear that they are OK. Take care, have a great day and happy week ahead.
Usually she is right there when it comes to contact.
DeleteRelief. But that is odd these days to be out of contact for so long.
ReplyDeleteShe works on line so it's a treat for her to be off line for a few days.
DeleteThese days of instant communication, we are inclined to fear the worst when communication stops. Glad all was well!
ReplyDeleteYes, when my mother married dad it took a week to make contact and back with her mother.
DeleteI often felt like this when my youngest daughter worked in Kabul. She'd be unreachable for stretches of time and I would be worried witless. She'd return on line, and say, "Oh...I went to Dubai to have my hair done..."
ReplyDeleteI thought of you. Have you seen "All the Light We Cannot See", a 4 part miniseries from Netflix? They completely changed some of it, but we both enjoyed it.
Kabul to Dubai is a long distance in that part of the world. I hope she got a good haircut after all that.
DeleteWe are so used to instant and frequent communication now, because it is possible. That's a good and also a not so good thing.
ReplyDeleteMy son and daughter are traveling now in the wilds of New Mexico. They sent me photos the first day out. I appreciated that. Conversely, they just assume Tom and I are alright unless they hear differently. But then I do show up on line fairly often.
Glad for you everything was alright and your stress was reduced.
Most people have their devices on them so when someone doesn't reply, we worry.
DeleteRemember the days when we had to wait weeks to get a letter back with news from family and friends?! We've gotten spoiled with our text messages and emails, haven't we? Glad your daughter was "found"!
ReplyDeleteI was in the arctic for five years. we had 6 weeks in fall and spring without mail.
DeleteWell, thank goodness she's OK and you were able to communicate with her!
ReplyDeleteIt was a relief.
DeleteIt's really worrying when things like that happen. Thank goodness all was well.
ReplyDeleteThat situation had not been predictable.
DeleteGood ending after a worrying when you couldn't get in touch.
ReplyDeleteYes, imagine worrying about someone who's 53?
DeleteOh gosh!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your daughter turned up okay! I don't ever turn my phone off these days, except for medical appointments where I don't want to be disturbed, and then it goes back on immediately afterward. I used to do it so my mom could reach me; now it's so the nursing home can reach me. But it's stressful. I think it's becoming a "thing" for people to try to "unplug" from devices, to take a step back from being "on" all the time, and it's good in that way. But letting their family know that they are doing so beforehand goes a long way to reducing stress on others :)
ReplyDeleteMy daughter works on line in her own business so sometimes she just wants to be away,
DeleteI totally understand why this worried you.
ReplyDeleteI had to think back to times when I worried my mother!
DeleteYes I understand the stress when they don't reply quickly:)
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you write of. I've even called hospitals and police looking for an ostensibly lost child.
ReplyDeleteWell, that was a first time so that's not bad.
ReplyDeleteI often spend my weekends offline. More than once, I've had people express surprise that it took me so long to answer a text message or email. I always tell them the same thing, if they want a fast answer, call me. If you just need an answer and have a few days to wait, either way will work. I don't want to be a slave to my phone or computer.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you got in touch with her finally. I understand your stress. I would be the same way.
ReplyDelete