Our society has fallen into a deep, dark dimension. It is one filled with likes, retweets, Snapchats, and emojis. We've become so consumed with the idea of technology that it has robbed us of our lives right under our noses.
Suddenly your phone, a device created for the primary purpose of improving communication when distant, turns into your best friend- replacing actual people. It goes with you everywhere, like your little shadow that casts a darker cloud than you may think.
You walk with your earbuds in, drowning out the world around you; drowning out the people. Put in an awkward situation? You look down at your phone to "remove" yourself from the real world. You find yourself checking your phone every 5 minutes. You do anything to avoid an encounter with an actual person because you know...gross.
In reality nothing has changed in your virtual world in those 5 minutes. Zero likes, zero retweets, zero new posts; but what'd you miss while looking down? The guy over there just proposed to the love of his life, a baby laughed, two old friends just saw each other for the first time in years, two lovers just said goodbye, and a handsome dog just walked past.
When will we realize there's more going on in the world around you than in the world we had Mark Zuckerburg create for us? It’s okay to look up and reconnect with the world around you. Will there be awkward moments? Yes. Will you embarrass yourself? Yes. Will life be perfect? No. Will you experience and learn more? Yes. Will you be happier? Yes. You’ll no longer live through social media and fake lives which lets be honest, are the lives people are willing to display. You’re experiencing the real thing. You’re living your life. You’re not comparing yourself to someones new Instagram post. You’re in fact living life uninterrupted.
After all, we are just human. We all have flaws, imperfections, and our own battle wounds. We all have stories that we’ll never tell, but we also have the stories we'll want to to tell.
So listen up and be present. Share moments with people, and make memories worth telling your grandchildren. It’s okay to look a stranger in the eye until the unfamiliarity melts away. You'll see they’re just like you; a collection of laughs, tears, accomplishments, mistakes, regrets and dreams. Forget about your Wi-Fi connection and strengthen your soul.
