We live in an age plagued by phone dependency. While this epidemic isn't a lethal disease such as addiction to drugs or alcohol, it still possesses the power to greatly diminish our quality of life and rob us of the present. And the sad thing is -- most of us don't even realize the negative effects it has on our lives. We think it's normal and none of us stop to wonder how life would be if we weren't glued to our phones; and there lies the problem.
Our eyes glued to the screen and our heads tilted downward almost as if they were permanently stuck that way. We value our internet presence more than our actual presence. We cannot go anywhere or do anything with anyone without it being documented. Nights or days out with friends has become less about enjoying the company of that person, and more about taking the perfect selfies to post on social media. We miss out on the beauty of life. Sunsets, dinner with family, feeling the gentle breeze upon your skin on a warm June day -- all of life's simplest pleasures are right underneath our fingertips and we are missing them. Life is passing us by and we are just sitting there; watching, observing, doing nothing about it. Life waits for nobody, and it sure isn't going to wait for a snap to your friend. If you spend 24/7 on your phone, you may be alive, but are you living? Being alive and living; there is a difference.
I, too, am guilty of this. Phone addiction isn't simply a thing you just break free of. No addiction is easily broken. But once you do, you will marvel of how much happier and more free you feel. The phone is like this massive, heavy chain and once you no longer allow it to weigh you down, you will feel free and empowered in a way you never thought possible. You will begin to appreciate the small moments of life such as gazing up at the clouds or having a heart-to-heart with your best friend, and you won't feel the urge to pick up the phone because you are content with the here and now. Although mobile devices are undoubtedly a necessity, we need to learn to put them down once a while and appreciate the beauty of life before it's gone.
That text could wait. Life, on the other hand, cannot.
