Stardate 05.20.2026
If you’re like me, your phone now rings more for strangers than for friends and family.
I’ve reached the point where I rarely answer a call unless the number is already saved in my contacts. Part of that is necessity. I’m not able to take personal calls while I’m on the clock at my day job. Part of it is fatigue. Spam calls have a way of draining your attention before you even realize it.
This morning, after prayers and meditation, I picked up my phone and noticed it had updated overnight. A new feature caught my eye. My Samsung phone now includes an AI caller assistant designed to screen calls before they ever reach me.
I paused there for a moment.
I haven’t even turned it on yet. I was simply reading about how it works. The idea that an assistant could answer first, find out who is calling, and allow me to step in if I’m available felt strangely familiar.
I asked Alberta what she thought about it. I was already intrigued, especially knowing this feature is included at no extra cost. The more I read, the more I realized this wasn’t really about technology. It was about something I’ve been learning to do in other parts of my life.
Protect my attention.
If you call me and I don’t pick up right away, I’m not ignoring you. I’m doing something one of my friends did more than forty years ago with a simple answering machine.
My friend Gene had a message on his land line that went something like this:
“In an effort to eliminate butt heads and riff raff, we are screening our calls. If you are one of the good guys, please stay on the line.”
Gene was a full generation ahead of his time.
Back then, it was a novelty. Today, it feels like wisdom.
Land lines have faded away. We carry computers in our pockets. We talk through watches. Artificial intelligence is quietly finding its way into everyday routines. Some people are cautious. Some people are enthusiastic. I find myself curious and willing to learn how these tools can serve a peaceful life.
This caller assistant doesn’t block people. It simply asks a question first.
Who’s calling?
Why are you calling?
And then it gives me the choice to step in.
That small detail is what caught my attention. I can still pick up the call during the screening if I’m free. Real people can still reach me. Unwanted noise can pass by without ever demanding my focus.
It reminded me that not every ring deserves an answer.
Scripture speaks gently into this idea:
“Let all things be done decently and in order.” — 1 Corinthians 14:40
Order brings calm. Even to something as ordinary as a phone call.
I’m ready to try this. Not because it’s new. Not because it’s clever. Because it helps me be more intentional with my time and my attention.
And if you are one of the good guys, please stay on the line. If I’m available, my assistant will connect us.
Join me here:
https://substack.com/@michaelmulliganlivelong
Captain’s Addendum
Spock raised an eyebrow. “Logical, Captain. An initial filter preserves valuable cognitive resources.”
Bones shook his head. “In my day we just let the thing ring and hoped it would stop.”
I smiled. Every day offers small ways to bring a little more order into the noise around us. This feels like one of them.
Thank you for spending a few minutes here with me today. May your calls be welcome and your moments of quiet uninterrupted.
No comments:
Post a Comment