This is July 3, 2026, and there are 19 celebrations on this day. Air Conditioning Appreciation Day starts it off, and with Global Warming giving us its constant reminder, I couldn’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve thanked God for central air when I walked out of the terrarium into the nice AC in my home. There’s Comic Sans Day for all you font fanatics.

And St Thomas History celebrates St. Thomas the Apostle, famously remembered for his initial doubt in the Resurrection, transformed into a fearless evangelist who brought Christianity to India in 52 A.D. His profound legacy of faith, perseverance, and missionary zeal is commemorated globally every year on this day called the Feast of St. Thomas, which leads us up to Start the Conversation Day.

Start the Conversation Day. (observed annually on July 3rd) was created in 2019 by a social media initiative known as Social Work Diva. The grassroots observance encourages people to break the stigma around mental health by reaching out and checking in on the well-being of their loved ones.

I suppose I opted for this day because it reminded me of a blog post I’d written some years ago entitled Off With Their Heads. Where I debate that while technology—especially smartphones—has brought many benefits, it has also weakened people’s attention, communication, and sense of responsibility when used without restraint.

The post encourages readers to intentionally disconnect at times, putting phones away during meals, family activities, or time outdoors—to reconnect with others and become more mindful. It also highlights the dangers of texting while driving, citing accident statistics as evidence that irresponsible technology use can have life-threatening consequences.

The overall message is that technology itself is not the problem; rather, people should use wisdom, self-discipline, and common sense to ensure it serves their lives instead of controlling them.

So, as we celebrate Start the Conversation Day, keep these things in mind and make sure to check on family and friends. There’s nothing like a good old face-to-face conversation…

“Good conversation has an edge: it opens your eyes to something… and reverberates: it keeps on talking in your mind later in the day.”

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