Dear Falcon Families, We all seem to be talking less and less, and our children even more so. My 29-year-old son called me "old-fashioned" when I called him last weekend to talk about plans for his sister's graduation in December. In our new digital world, many people work from home, have no lunchtime conversations, and do much of their work without saying a word. Technology has made it easy to text, email, order pizza or a plane ticket (or almost anything), and communicate without ever saying anything. But I believe we lose something important when we stop talking. There is something uniquely human about sitting across from another person, looking them in the eye, sharing a story, asking a question, laughing together, and listening. So, let’s keep using our words. Let’s encourage our children to speak clearly (annunciate), tell their stories, ask good questions, and engage in real conversations. Words build relationships, communicate ideas, and help us understand one another. I have always been more of a talker than a key stroker, and I hope our St. Mary’s community will keep giving one another permission to speak—and, just as importantly, the patience and charity to really listen. Let’s all teach our kids the Power of Words to make their world a better place. Smart Families will host a ...