Psst… Have you heard about the newest love affair? No, you won’t find anything about it in the latest copy of the supermarket tabloids. This love affair isn’t one that has people whispering behind backs. It hasn’t caused any marital breakups that I know of, and you're not likely to find folks wondering if morality went out the window with this one. In suspense? Okay. It seems that many of us have fallen head over heels in a relationship with our... cell phone!
How many times have you spotted someone gabbing on their phone as they maneuver their car through a busy intersection? When was the last time your conversation was interrupted by someone who just had to answer their phone? How often have you been in a meeting, at school, or even at church and heard the persistent and annoying ring of a cell phone? Truth be told, these things happen all too often. Perhaps you yourself could be accused of such behavior.
Yesterday, I saw a young woman walking down the street with her cell phone in her right hand. Not in her purse, mind you, but planted firmly in her palm. She was armed with an attitude of expectancy. Maybe she was anticipating a call from her impatient boyfriend, her nagging mother, or even the lottery commission. Who knows? Her cell phone held a place of honor in her hand, as she checked it for calls roughly every two seconds. At that particular moment, and maybe even 24/7, her cell phone was top priority! Unfortunately, she was missing out on what was going on around her -- the beauty of the sun peeking over the mountains in late afternoon, the smell of newly-mown grass, and the sounds of children happily playing nearby. All for the love of a little electronic device which she tightly clutched in her hand.
These days, I make a conscious effort to give life and the people around me priority over my cell phone. I frequently set the ringtone to “silent”, and though I usually carry it with me in my handbag, I make a point to ignore my cell phone as often as possible. You won’t see me looking at it longingly when we have been separated for hours, nor will you catch me stopping an important conversation with a friend just to answer a call. I probably won’t be the one on the phone while driving, unless an emergency arises, and then I'll most likely pull over at the first opportunity. As for the possibility of having a love affair with my cell phone, let’s just put it this way: I would rather spend my time enjoying the world around me than being enslaved to an inanimate gadget. Sorry, but no love affair here.
As always, very interesting to read
ReplyDeleteYay, I did it Maggie!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean...cell phones are everywhere today, like a body part attached to hands or ears. Even way out here in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on our tiny island, you see preteens obsessed with their cell. It's such a different world from when we grew up. Young & old alike treasure this tiny device, always a ring away from connecting with someone on the other end.
One thing that always bothers me is to see an inattentive DRIVER talking & laughing endlessly on their cell, in their own world, no longer alert to the task of the moment of being aware of all traffic conditions around them. You can tell when it's not an emergency conversation. This is, of course, not only dangerous, but rude, selfish, & discourteous to others when it interferes with a safe flow of traffic. Out here on our island, it is unlawful to use a cell phone while driving, but it still occurs frequently. I choose to leave my cell in my pocket or purse when I'm behind the wheel.
However, I will admit I am very attached to my cell phone. Before I had an i-phone, I had the same cell phone for several years...it was just a simple PHONE that I carried in my purse, but didn't really think about it. Since I got an i-phone over a year ago, it has become a big part of my daily life. If I'm hiking/walking or other activity, I have Runkeeper app to use for recording my distance, speed, etc. & keep track of my daily exercising. When I'm out enjoying a walk, I like to take pictures with my phone. Being very isolated living so far away on a tiny island, when I hear the sound of a text coming in, I'm always happy to see it's from my sister far away in Illinois & we can connect instantly. Also, being in a much different time zone, when the sun rises here, most of the US is well into their day. When out & about, if desired, I can connect instantly to see what's happening 2500 miles away...we are the most isolated body of land on earth (then I feel more connected to the US).
So yes, you might say I'm addicted to my cell, as so many in the world today are, especially if they use a cell that performs lots of "tasks" & communications.
But I am able to separate my cell phone from my body, store it in my pocket or purse, & take time to enjoy my amazing surroundings & the beauty of this wonderful island...I'm able to stop & smell the flowers, view a double rainbow, stare in amazement at the awesome mountain ridges & lava formations, watch a beautiful whale breach, a giant turtle dive in the waves or a monk seal rest on the beach. I'm able to see the many faces of people from all over the world who visit & enjoy this special land...but best of all, I can pull out my tiny cell phone to capture these incredible images & enjoy them over & over.
Sounds possibly as if I have a love affair with my cell phone, do not feel enslaved, & happily
carry it with me.