Have you ever walked out the door and reached in your purse or pocket and realized your phone is missing? Your phone, the one tangible object connecting you to every living person around you, has now given you an undeniable feeling of panic. No contacts, no email, no Facebook, no games to keep you occupied when you’re bored, no texts. It is strange to think we live in a world so connected by our electronic devices we literally become senseless without them. If you are reading this and think, “That’s not me,” well I applaud you. You have beaten the system. We are a culture so attached with instant connection we can’t look up from our screens to see what is really happening in the world. “What time is it?” Why look at a clock when you can check your screen? “You are going to have to wait another 20 minutes for the doctor.” No problem, I have Words with Friends, Scramble with Friends, Hanging with Friends, and I can check up on my friends online.
It is a little frightening to think how much we now rely on technology to fill our time, help book our appointments and keep in touch with others. The fateful day you forget your phone, or regrettably drop it in a pool of water, is the day you finally realize how much of an attachment you actually have to the tiny device, the tiny device that allows you to stay current on everything and anything. It seems our society has forgotten to communicate. Sure we communicate through Facebook, emails and texts, but to really communicate with friends and family without a screen has become a lost art. There is beauty in a simplistic lifestyle, one without a constant connection and without instant gratification. We have become impatient and anxious for immediate information. What ever happened to waiting? Instead of constantly turning your phone on waiting for a text to appear, how about putting it down and interacting with those around you? Phones should be a luxury, not a necessity. Leave your phone at home or turn it off for a while, see what the world looks like. Don’t panic, you won’t be bored and you won’t lose out on information. You might miss playing back your friends or liking a post on Facebook, but you won’t miss out on something happening right in front of your eyes.
Casey Rowley is a freelance writer and preschool teacher for Sunshine Learning Centers. For comments email: caseymrowley@yahoo.com and visit www.caseyrowley.wordpress.com.