The other night my husband and I were laying in bed and he offered me a pillow. For some reason I no longer like to sleep with a pillow under my head. Only one between my knees.
"Do you want a pillow?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"I don't like them anymore."
"What?!?!"
"Don't be freaked out. Cave people didn't sleep with pillows and they turned out okay."
"But you're not a cave person. Some people embrace technology and others lag behind the times."
"Are you trying to say that I lag behind the times?"
"Yes."
"That's not true."
*Laughing* "Yes it is."
"Give me an example."
"Okay, first example: you hate your cell phone."
"I do hate my cell phone but not because I lag behind behind the times but because I hate other people."
That's not totally true. I don't always hate other people but I do hate my cell phone. I am not one of those people that has my cell phone in my hand at all times. I can go HOURS without checking it. I can let it die and it does not bother me at all. If I am doing something I don't answer it.
Last month we were sitting together enjoying a cup of coffee and my phone kept vibrating in the other room. "Are you going to get that?"
"No."
"They called twice."
"So?"
"What if it's an emergency?"
"Um....you're here and both of the kids are here and they are alive so there is no emergency for me."
I am an inconsiderate a**hole. Plain and simple. People hate me. I do not blame them. I would not be friends me. It must be infuriating. I get texts and won't respond for hours. Friends and family are known to just show up at my house. "I tried to call/text but you didn't pick up...."
People that REALLY know me well know that if they want to get in touch with me, just call or text my husband. He knows where to find me.
I can be guilty of being on the phone but I don't feel the need to be connected all the time. If I am at the beach, I am at the beach. If I am hanging out with my children, or making dinner, or at the grocery store I don't want to be bothered. I do check it, I just don't live on it. I could totally have a flip phone. I do not care.
The human race existed for THOUSANDS of years without cell phones -without any phones at all and life went on. I try to explain this to my children who are phone addicted.
All the kids are now a days. I am keeping some children over the summer and I confiscate phones. I take them and put them in a special place. I had a flip out Monday because the kids were all in the car staring at their screens. We stopped to pick up lunch and I made them hand the phones over to me. There was much protesting involved.
As we drove over the bridge to the Isle of Palms I pointed out a heron flying overhead and the sun reflecting off of the water. "Y'all live in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Look around enjoy it." Once their phones were away they sang and interacted with each other. Imagine that. It was a beautiful day. We spent six hours at the beach, riding waves and collecting seashells and no one checked their phones once.
I'm not saying technology is bad. I enjoy technology - especially antibiotics and the ability to travel. The thing is that people are so connected but at the same time so lonely and unhappy.
Of course I am a complete hypocrite because both of my daughters have phones. My oldest just got a Samsung Galaxy - it is her ONLY birthday present. She needed a new phone because one of her "friends" sent her that iphone death text. I almost lost my shit about it.
My youngest has my old iphone4. She can't make calls on it but she can text, listen to music, and play Minecraft (of course). I took my oldest to dance today and my dad picked her up from gymnastics. I sat in the studio lobby and a text popped up from her:
CAN U CHAT?
SURE. WHATS UP?
NOTHING. I JUST LOVE YOU.
I LOVE YOU TOO. Smiley face.
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