Not a new story or in any way unique... just my view on it....

This morning I left the house in such a hurry. I arrived at the railway station and realised my phone was at home…  And I felt “empty”….. like a limb is gone… And then I felt bad about myself for being so dependent on today’s technology!

“Hi! My name is Sharlene and I am addicted to my Blackberry”! Social media addict! Or am I just a normal young person that got used to the norms of today…?

I’m old enough to remember the days before cellular phones were an extension of the hand/arm. When the public phones were the way to contact family members and then it was mostly in urgent situations / emergencies. The days when I actually remembered telephone numbers! The days when we actually sat down and took time to write letters to those friends and family members that lived far away and sent real birthday and Christmas cards! The days I took out a book and read while I was travelling via public transport. The days when teenagers still knew how to read and write properly.

Yes, technology has made life a whole lot easier and it is just great to be able to reach someone in an instant. I just miss that personal contact. I love people and I love talking (to people)! I love sitting around telling jokes and just finding out about what is going on in the lives of my friends and family members. I am curious by nature. I love sitting with a photo album; paging through it and reminiscing about days gone by and laughing at some of the funnies…. Now you just take your PC/laptop and click away…. Not that old printed pictures that turned “ugly” but brought back such good memories!

Nowadays you can’t even go anywhere without your cellular phone or you feel “lost”. People used to interact much more and spend more time visiting but with it being so easy to “stay in contact” via social media we just don’t have time to visit anymore… unless it is a party of some sorts! You cook, play with your kids, talk to your spouse/friends/family but the one eye is on the phone and the worl

I am not against new technology; on the contrary… I love it! But realised again how important personal contact is. Especially now that I have a child diagnosed with Sensory Integration Disorder… The psychologist again emphasised how important it is for kids to spend less time watching television, playing video games etc. and rather spend more time playing outside with other kids and their toys.

So I will be making the effort of interacting even more with family and friends and really spending time with my spouse and kids. Really playing contact games and reading stories to the kids and being more outdoors…. Without the phone……….. or at least not in my hand… in my bag…. Not checking it every 5 minutes (or 10 seconds! :-)

Luvies

Shalla