Dear Humans,

Please, for the love of all things holy, put down your phones.

This morning, a student came to ask me a question about material covered in class.  She did so while reading her Facebook feed.  Through her phone.  Which she was also using to listen to music through Pandora.  Through her phone.  As I answered her, I realized she was not listening to me.  Or looking at me.

I finished class and went to leave campus - at which point a girl who was texting while driving practically ran head-on into me as she was driving through the parking lot.

I drove two blocks and was nearly hit again by somebody talking on their phone while driving.

I'll be honest:  I love my phone.  I don't have to worry about terrifying payphones and their germs and availability.  My husband can find me.  I can ask quick questions of my friends via text while the baby screams at me (often those questions go something like this: "Why is the baby screaming at me?"). I can contact just about anyone just about any time about just about anything. . . which is cool.

And also not.  Because I didn't need to update my boot order from the doctor's waiting room.  Nor do I need to text a picture of a car to my husband while I'm driving.  Nor do my students need Facebook updates from the classroom.

Here's the thing: My life is important to me.  And yours should be important to you.  So on this little thing, even if you keep texting in the classroom, can we please, please, PLEASE agree to put down the phones while we're driving?

Pretty please?