A doctor I know recently told a teenager who was texting during her office visit that if she didn’t care enough about her health to give the appointment her full attention, why should he? Embarrassed, she put the phone away but I’m sure she had a lot to say to her friends when the appointment was over. The audacity to give someone your full attention! But really? Texting while a doctor is examining you?
There are days…lots of them, in fact…when I just loath Smart Phones. I don’t want 
someone to be able to reach me 24 hours a day. I don’t want to feel like my day is going to be wrecked if I accidentally leave my phone at home while I go elsewhere. Despite my feelings, I tote that obnoxious pink-covered iPhone everywhere. How can I go to the grocery with out it~ someone may decide they need me to pick something up while I’m there! How can I go out to dinner without it~ my adult kids may need me!
Here’s a scenario that happens all of the time while I’m out. I see a couple who are supposed to be with each other but they’re so deeply involved in a text conversation or reading the meaningless status posts of acquaintances that they aren’t even acknowledging they’re together. Sad. And, yes, I’m sure people have looked at me and had the same observation. Sad.
Math is not my forte’. Having said that, I can add small numbers relatively easily. My husband and I have (at most) 3 hours together every evening. Why would I want to spend those precious few hours texting or being mindless on Facebook? What has happened to people in 2012? I feel like we’re completely void of the ability to remain focused and engaged with real people. This can’t be good for marriages, in particular. Here’s a link to an article about what’s happening right before our eyes and it’s stop-dead-in-your-tracks serious.
http://www.wnd.com/2012/02/smart-phones-and-social-media-destructive/
Look, everyone complains about being busy but maybe the “busyness” could be spent more constructively. People in truly happy relationships don’t have more time in the day to spend paying attention to each other, they just make more OF their time.
So here it is. I’m caving in and getting a home phone number that only my kids and our parents will have access to..for important calls only. It’s worth the $30 a month just so I can turn off my stinking cell phone when I get home from work and forget about it until the next day.
Can you tell I’m just a little over the tether that has me bound to the outside world? Okay, off my soapbox and off to find a cave to live in…..
Blessings,
Amy
So true! I despise the power of technology, it nearly ruined my life. But with anything it is a matter of purpose and balance. I’ve been working very hard to overcome the addiction because that is what it is. I rely on God…back to basics…I read more instead of facebook! Our children are heading down a very scary road and as parents and educators it’s OUR responsibility to teach them and set limits. Facebook is NOT REAL LIFE…real people are what matter most!
Agreed! Technology and social media is a beautiful thing BUT my opinion is that we’re so connected that we’re unable to ever unplug and just BE in the moment. I’m tired of making people crazy by being consumed and I’m tired of being frustrated by those around me… I can’t do anything about that but I can take responsibility for myself. It starts there.