Do you remember the old phrases: He is as good as his word, or My word is my bond, or A handshake is all I need (in the way of a deal)? Do you remember when we didn’t think lawyers were the first people we had to call before we made a deal? Do you remember when a contract was just a page or two?  Do you remember when your friends returned your phone calls promptly and a RSVP meant something?

What happened?  What happened to someone following through on a commitment of “Yes” or “I’ll get back to you?” or “I’ll be there.”  I fear our children will have fewer of these kinds of business or personal encounters.  The irony is that we have much faster and easier methods of communication yet all it seems to have done is to make life more complicated and less trustworthy.