In a past Sunday's New York Times there was an article about one of the latest apps- the break-up app. Apparently the end of the year is one of the biggest times for relationship break ups. Guess it is the idea of out with the old, in with the new.

Not surprising that there is an app for dealing with difficulty in a relationship. There appears to be an app for any situation or predicament you might encounter.

In looking at a web site Statistica it claims that as of the summer 2015, over 100 Billion Apps were downloaded from the Apple store. The popular categories in descending order: games; business, education, lifestyle, entertainment, utilities, travel, books, health and fitness, music, productivity, food and drink, sports, photo and video, finance, news, reference, social networking, medical, navigation.

Over the holidays we were with family which included a newborn. I was amazed to learn that there are apps for parents to help with sleeping (choose the "white noise" e.g. hairdryer). In looking further, I found apps for potty training, behavior modification, reward charts, teaching children how to use money or make change or use an ATM. There is even a parenting app trend report- an app that lets you know the latest and best parenting apps.

Besides the break up app noted in the Times, there are other relationship type apps: apps to get you through break ups, apps to maintain a healthy marriage, apps for dealing with a long-distance relationship, apps to mend a broken heart, apps for saving you from an abusive relationship.

I am not against apps or the information that they impart. Why not use the expertise of someone else? If it can be given to us via our smart phone, all the better.

I just wonder what would happen if we cultivated conversation, civility and manners back into our lives? It seems to me that many of the relationship issues wouldn't exist if we thought of others before ourselves. What would happen if we practiced doing unto others as we would want done to us? If we remembered our "please, thank you's, or after you" would we need any of the relationship apps? I wonder what would happen if as a matter of course, everyone held a door for someone else? I bet there's an app for that.

To receive blog posts directly to your email, please see the News & Events tab to subscribe.