One of the most celebrated holidays in India is Holi – the festival of colors. Last Monday, I walked by a small park where an Indian cultural organization threw an event to celebrate the colorful time. However, there were only around 20 individuals who had their packs of colors ready to be sprung on their friends.

Then, I tried to recall the last time I played with my friends. It was more than a decade ago.

Tragic.

I had celebrated it with my family and neighbors back in India. Recalling the event in the spring of 2008 prompted me to recall my childhood in the motherland.

I did not have access to a cellphone (smartphones were not prevalent in India then) and limited access to a computer. It was safe to state that technology did not dominate my life and I don’t believe I missed much. I channeled my energy towards meeting real people in real places rather than conversing with individuals on a virtual platform.

It was beyond easy to make friends. I could enter my friends’ apartment at any time of the day and still receive the same warm welcome. Going to the park and biking through the neighborhood summed up my evenings before having dinner with my family. I remember the pure joy when my mother fried pakoras or when we ran to the local ice-cream stand to devour in butterscotch ice cream. The rush of excitement I felt every time my father returned to town was unmatched and an hour drive to my sister’s dance lessons meant car rides filled with music played from cassettes.

The absence of technological advances did not breach my childhood memories. On the other hand, I find myself and others more apprehensive and tense despite the enhanced lifestyle. “Hi, my name is Sri. What’s your name?” doesn’t seem to be sufficient to initiate a conversation. We look at an individual’s appearance or his clothing before approaching. Or else, we choose to ignore people based on their social status. We become frustrated when someone doesn’t like a post or doesn’t retweet our picture.

Remembering my childhood allowed me to reflect upon my perception of reality and our ability to live truly engage with others without any barriers. We do not need to depend on our phones to communicate with others or ask hundred questions before befriending someone.

My name is Sri. What is yours?