I searched the web a few minutes ago for “SMS to email” and stumbled upon an old blog post titled “Using SMS is Like Paying for Email” from what seems to have been a group-chat startup pitching web-based alternatives to SMS and MMS group messaging. Not really what I was looking for—I was casually browsing for a way to route all my text messages to emails and still be able to reply—but the title stuck with me.

I was searching for some kind of forwarding solution in the first place because I’ve been experimenting a little with reducing distractions. I realized that although texting feels much more urgent than email, it rarely is. If someone needs my help or attention urgently, they’ll call me. And yet I’ve got notifications disabled for email, checking it periodically, but I allow text messages to totally derail my concentration with a buzz or a beep.

Email is, in some ways, a richer form of media, too. An email is often more composed than a text, but it doesn’t need to be. It can be formatted. It can include attachments. It can be part of a conversation with a group of folks.

My email address feels, also, a little more me than my phone number. I can move it easily from provider to provider, host my own server for free, and customize it with a domain name and a handle.

What advantages does texting still have? What happens if I use texting less, or at least give texts a little less priority? Honestly, I’ve never been a great texter anyways.