Pebbling to keep the conversation going

Reach out to say you care.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

It is one of those usual nights with a steaming cup of coffee to keep me up through the long night of work to meet the deadline. “Ding,” my phone chimes interrupting the frantic symphony of the buttons on the keyboard. Annoyed, I pick up my phone to silence it only to be hauled into a sea of nostalgia at the sight of the sender’s name — the memories of a friend buried among the core memories in almost an irretrievably safe place came rushing back. Thanks to pebbling.

What is pebbling, you wonder?

Among a barrage of lexically repurposed words such as mouse, cloud, bug, and tablet, pebbling got its makeover from the proliferation of technology and social media. In social media lingo, pebbling is sending loved ones a meme, GIF, reel or text letting them know that they are on your mind. This simple yet heartfelt gesture to slow down and connect with people that matter in a perpetually on-the-go world goes a long way.

The word originates from a peculiar practice of courting among the Adelie and Gentoo penguins. A male penguin painstakingly pick a pebble it perceives as perfect in shape, size, weight, sheen, and other factors. The pebble is presented to a potential mate to express its interest — in short, a love language. Once accepted, the female penguin uses it to build a nest, symbolically, a home, a place of love, warmth and security.

Much like a fire that can devour anything on the one hand and give warmth and comfort on the other, social media, through pebbling, becomes a potential antidote to combat its ability to distance people and isolate individuals by offering moments of genuine connection. The beauty lies in the unmindful and instantaneous nature of sharing the pebbles in the realm of social media. In the growing disconnected world, we find ourselves hard-pressed for time, often postponing a phone call or sometimes a text to our loved ones waiting for that perfect peaceful time to speak at length which almost always never presents itself. So what do we do?

Make lemonade! Confused? Making the best out of any challenge was never new to our species and in today’s digitised era where everything is changing at a breakneck speed, we adapt and embrace new ways to connect and sustain relationships.

Remember, what made the world a village is what makes our neighbours strangers. Whether you are hitting a 300-day snap streak or sharing a YouTube short or Instagram story on the go, you are attempting to connect. While pebbling can never replace enjoying hearty laughter, sharing a cup of coffee or taking a walk with your loved ones, it is a simple yet profound gesture to say you care.

maithri.venkat@omegaschools.org