One of the greatest inventions of the 21st century is the smart phone. One of the worst inventions of the 21st century is also the smart phone.

Having a cellular device in today's world is truly a great thing when it comes to safety. It is also nice being able to keep in touch with family members who don't live near or you don't see often. Other than that though, the smartphone has honestly taken over our lives. We have stopped living in the moment. We are always checking our social media to see if anyone has liked our post or seeing if friends have replied to us. During those few seconds each time we are missing parts of our lives. When did such a small device become more important than what is around us?

While being abroad in Spain and traveling to other countries I don't have service unless I am somewhere with WiFi. At first I thought it was because I was in different countries that I felt like I was living more, but after getting acquainted with the area I still felt the same way. One day while sitting at a little coffee shop in the morning before classes I noticed something, I was taking in everything that was happening. My phone was in my purse and all I had was a cup of coffee and a chocolate croissant. For the first time ever I didn't want to check my phone, I didn't want to Snapchat my food, I didn't want to see what social media was talking about, I just wanted to sit and enjoy my breakfast. For the first time I felt like I was truly living.

Pictures never do any sight you see in person justice. Everything is different when you live in the moment. Checking your phone every second to see if there are any updates can interrupt your experiences. Unless it is an emergency, or your parents are contacting you, or your best friend is going into labor, your phone can wait.

Disconnect, you won't need it to reconnect.