When I was growing up the 886 prefix to my phone number was in my mind at the time a status symbol. It represented the community I grew up in, and we were a little “snobby” about it.

Fast-forward to today, it is a memory and those prefixes are going away due to people giving up their landlines. My youthful snobbery has gone, given over to growing up.

Your phone number is important because It’s how people can call and text you. It’s how we connect to the greater world. In my professional experience I can say there is more texting and less talking on the phone happens these days. Some folks are giving up smartphones in order to go back to voice conversation.

I remember the most famous phone number growing up was 867-5309 which was a song by Tommy Tutone. My favorite song about the telephone was “Hanging on the Telephone” by the group Blondie.

Yep, to make all that happen you need some digits that can connect you near and far. Reach out and touch someone as the old AT&T Bell System commercial once said. If someone calls you for help, be willing to say yes.