Like many others, we have an answering machine for our home telephone. I know, just the fact that we have a landline is sort of cool in an old fashion way. Anyway, just the other day, my answering machine told me I had only 2 minutes and 38 seconds left of recording time. Wow, I thought, what is taking up all the recording space?
Answering machines are wonderful devices that can be used for all sorts of things. Screening calls, actually taking messages when you are away from home, and my favorite use, as I have recently come to realize, saving messages from grandchildren, children, parents and other family members.
I listened to the most recent messages from dutiful office assistants reminding me of doctor appointments; a caller asking me to press “1” now and they will reduce my debt if it’s over $2,000; and a wonderful call from an old college schoolmate of my husband’s checking in for the first time in about 30 years.
Then there are the calls that make up more than half of the messages that have been left for us. Those are the culprits taking up all the recording space on my machine. These are my favorite calls. I have numerous calls from my grandchildren when they were much younger and had little bitty voices and left preciously cute messages. I have a call from my aunt who is now 86 and not in as good of health as she was when she left the message several years ago. One message is from my Uncle’s sister checking in and leaving a message with her wonderful little scratchy voice. I have a message from my mother that I love listening to, knowing that I won’t always have her voice with me. One from my father too, same thing, just the wonderful, reassuring sound of his voice that won’t be with me forever. I have a saved message from my daughter to my husband, her stepfather, which is just too cute and sassy. Each of my son’s has left either a Happy Birthday message or other message of love. Every one of these messages is there because I never want to lose the message nor the voice.
The realization that I am so short on recording space simply because I am saving these messages out of love and the pure enjoyment of re-listening to them, has made me wonder how many other people might be saving their loved one’s messages as well.
There are messages, and then there are voice messages. To me, voice messages mean the messages that touch my heart, bring tears to my eyes, and pull me back into the sweet and loving arms of my family.
Have you checked your voice messages lately?
Laura
