A couple has been sitting down for a night out for fifteen minutes, the waiter has come to get their drink order. Both are laughing, and smiling. They’re having a great time...on their phones. If they put their phones down, would the conversation be forced? Quality time has changed, and now technology is taking over. I have to admit, I even have an addiction to my cellphone. If I were to go one day without it, I would be worried about who would be texting/calling/posting.

Though there is many reasons why technology has enhanced our way of life, I still argue that it has put a gap between our real lives, and what happens through social media, texting and other outlets. I have always wondered what kind of world we would live in if cellphones, computers and other technologies didn’t exist.

Conversations would be face to face.

Letters would still be written.

Dates would happen more.

People would enjoy time with family and friends.

But, we also wouldn’t have the advancements we have now.. Though a hassle, technology is a blessing.

Technology has made the world develop more, and given us a new hope to fix the problems in the world.

I do believe there will always be some good to technology. But it is a bittersweet gift. We have the plus side of how it helps our world develop, but there is also the negative side, where we are faced with the decline of true and meaningful relationships.

When we are out spending what is supposed to be quality time with family and friends, we should be able to leave the phones up for the night. We shouldn’t have to have our phones out the entire time, hoping we don’t miss those few texts, or newest posts.

But instead we depend upon our cellphones and technology for a way to live our lives. We have lost romance and courtship.

A flirty text is the new compliment and a long text is the new love letter.

Technology is helping our world but hurting our romance. I seek to have meaningful conversation outside of the texting world. I want to spend time with my love with nothing but the nature distracting us. I want to feel a connection past the 4G internet speeds.

I want to find the romance in life outside of a cute text. I want to fall in love with the man that I see in front of me. I want to be held by him without the sound of a text tone going off.

Technology isn’t terrible. I don’t believe we should limit our daily use of technology to be as minimal as possible. I believe we should value our time with family and friends, face to face, rather than through a screen. I want to see and feel that connection.

I want to fall in love over and over again with my boyfriend. I want to read together on the front porch swing. I want to stay up late talking and laughing. I want to put down the phones and technology. I want to trade it all in for true and much needed quality time.

I want to bring back the romance we’ve lost through a cellphone screen.