Technology Comes With Responsibility

Greetings and Salutations,
     Hello and how are you? I have been busy trying to keep my head out of my ass and for the past two weeks and finally it was delivered this week. The storm (of grief) has passed and I am feeling much better. After a week of being physical every morning I am feeling oh so much better.
     So this past weekend I went to the State Fair. It was a fun and low key visit. The thing that struck me was watching the police officer, who had stopped traffic to let us cross the busy road, screw with his smart phone. He never looked up as we were crossing the street. Now I fully realize that there was another officer helping with traffic as well, but it struck me as of all people that should be fully engaged in what they are doing, this dude clearly wasn't. I was struck by how unprofessional it looked.
      We are a society that is hard pressed to be in one moment at a time. How many of you either observe someone texting while they are talking to you or you are doing that to someone else? That drives me crazy. Alittle of it I understand. Sometimes you need to touch base with someone you had texted earlier and they are getting back to you. Or you received a text. Excuse yourself and make it brief.
     I'm talking more about when people text the entire time you are talking to them, or trying to anyway. Most of the time (certainly not 100%) I turn my ringer OFF when I am spending time with someone. I try hard to be aware of how much of my undivided attention I give to the person I am with.
     We live in a world that is always on the grid. Its nice to get off of it with regularity and realize that you won't die if you don't answer the phone when it rings. That a message/text can go unanswered for HOURS or even a day if need be. That it is OK to be fully in the moment with the person you are with and not three people at once, two of which aren't even in the room with you.
      Seeing that officer reminded me that it is a learned behavior to have cell phones such a part of our lives moment to moment. Ten years ago he wouldn't have had a choice to have a smart phone at work to distract him. Maybe that is one reason I actively chose to have an idiot phone. Less distraction.
      I don't know the details of where, when, etc but I caught a story recently about someone on a city train that was shot and no one saw a thing that happened until after the fact because everyone was buried in their phone. How sad.
     I am not saying technology is a bad thing. I am just saying it is my belief that use of the very things that make our lives easier will own us if we don't set boundaries.  Not only for those around us, but for ourselves as well. How many times have you come off the grid for a few hours at a time? What about an entire 24 hour period? Have you ever left to go do an errand(s) and left your phone at home? (gasp)
     I challenge those of you that need to, to do this. For the rest, I challenge you to be acutely aware the next time you are texting when you are spending time with someone else. Be engaged in the moment you are in, not your damn phone.

Tootles :)
Heather