I have a flip phone —aka a dumb phone— except I think it is far from being dumb. Before I tell you about why I'm still a proud owner of a chunky flip phone, let's give you some background on my cellphone history.
My first cellphone was a sleek, red Verizon Chocolate with a sliding maneuver. My second phone was a Samsung Reality. This phone had limited internet, giving me access to Facebook only. I remember being so excited to have access to Facebook and being able to post pictures as they occurred. I remember finally feeling up-to-speed with everyone around me. This feeling of bliss and "coolness" lasted for some time. However, my semi-smart phone started to look lame compared to the new iPhones everyone started getting.
I remember starting to feel discontent. I remember seeing people pulling out their phones in class and browsing on social media the entire time. I remember eating lunch and seeing kids glued to their phones. I remember feeling less important than the newest text my friend was receiving. I remember thinking that I would never stare at my cellphone screen more than look people in the eye or pay attention in class.
All that changed on one fateful day in Oral Communication at Simpson. I remember being on Facebook and completely missing everything that Dr. Berger was saying. I remember walking to and from class looking down at my phone, missing every opportunity to notice and care for whoever was passing me by. That is the day that it all changed for me. Shortly after that happened, I asked my parents if I could order a flip phone once my contract was up. Believe it or not, downgrading to a flip phone was a big deal. It cost extra and the salesman at Verizon was confused as to why I would ever want to do such a thing. I didn't explain to him why I did it. So, for those of you who know me and may wonder why I am stuck in the stone age, here are five mostly serious reasons why downgrading was one of the best decisions I ever made.
1. Not having access to social media helped me pay attention in class.
Therefore, making me a better student.
2. Downgrading to a flip phone helped me to pay more attention to the people right in front of me.
As opposed to giving me an escape from making conversation.
3. Having a flip phone is a great conversation starter!
As lame as that may sound, so many people have started talking to me just because they are curious to know what exactly I am talking on or texting with.
4. It's sexy. Really it is.
When I see someone else with a flip phone it just makes me like them so much more because generally they are not preoccupied with social media. They also are less likely to be the kind of person who checks their phone as I am talking to them. I once got asked for my number shortly after pulling out my flip phone.
5. It keeps me from trying to document every single cool thing I see.
Since the camera quality is not very good, it forces me to just enjoy the scenery in front of me, rather than trying to catch it at the right angle for everyone to see how amazing it was.
All of these things said, I do know that there are advantages to having a smart phone, such as the GPS feature. I could definitely use that because of my lack of direction; however, the fewer high-tech tools I have in front of me to distract me from noticing the needs of others around me, the better it is.
I wonder how many people I have passed by without realizing that they needed a smile or word of encouragement because of my fixation with my phone. I wonder if I have missed out on an opportunity to share the gospel with someone in line, on a train, or on the bus because of the habit I have had with looking at my phone whenever I am with people I do not know. When I think about these things I am even more convinced of what Colossians 3:2 says, which is, "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." When I take the time to really see the people around me and ask God for wisdom on how to love them the best and glorify Him, only then am I focused on things above, rather than earthly things.
Every moment holds opportunity for beauty and joy, but too often we fill them with distractions. With things that don't really matter. For some of you, may downgrading is not necessary, but for me it was. I would encourage you to take whatever steps you need to in order to not be distracted by the gadgets around you. We all desire connection with others and face-to-face interactions are the most genuine. How ironic that you are reading this on social media!!! Just know that I would much rather talk with you in person! My charge to you and myself is that we would put the phone away, look people in the eye, talk to people we don't know and enjoy the moment.
