The Smartphones in our lives - Day 394

I'm on a short visit in my birth country after a long time living abroad in a farm in South Africa. I'm sitting in a coffee shop as I write this blog, in a neighbourhood where I used to live. There are a few people sitting here too and as I was looking at my surrounding, I decided to open up this topic that I'm about to write today.

 

There is one thing in common with everyone that sits here - everyone has a smart phone and this smart phone attached to their hands non stop. I must admit, I too have my smart phone. I too very much attached to it as it is the tool from which I can sustain my communication with people around the world, I can work where ever I am and within that, can still maintain and sustain my responsibilities as much as possible in my short visit here.

However, I must also admit that partially, it is just an excuse I'm telling myself because when I looked at the people around me, I've seen within myself that I judged the point of people being addicted to their smartphones and so, I turned the point back to myself as I realized that they are a mirror to that which I have become myself.

For instance, yesterday I met an old friend and I really had to push myself to put the phone aside and totally commit to being 'Here' with my friend without distracting myself with my phone in moments where I missed a breath and felt discomfort from the situation of seeing an old friend after so long that we haven't talked or met. It's like, the phone has become my comfort zone where I can speak with the people in my life I feel most comfortable with in any moment of the day. (One of the advantages of being a member in the Equal Life Foundation is that there are always someone I feel comfortable speaking with online as we are international organization and/or E-mails that comes through that must be directed). I can in a single moment, take myself out of my immediate environment with the people I am with, and start discussing online with the people that I feel comfortable with. In that, not really realizing the dependency I've created wherein being comfort is something I've aligned with someone else instead of simply being here, comfortable within myself, with my physical body despite who and what is in my direct environment.

 

It is becoming clear where I sit now in this coffee shop from the perspective of seeing the influences the smart phone has on people's life. For instance, I see 2 groups of people sitting together and yet, each being is occupied with their smart phone, looking at pictures or spending time on FaceBook instead of actually being here, with the people they came with and communicate with each other. There is no space anymore to simply taking a breath, be here, enjoy the moment presented but we rather, escaping to our virtual world where one does not have to face one's environment, face one's inner reaction, push through the resistances or the inner turmoil to be able to develop supportive relationship with one another. It's like, the virtual world gives us comfort, a safety zone where we can escape to where ever we are.

 

Obviously, I'm superimposing here my own realization that I've seen for myself. However, I suggest that you have a look at this point for yourself and to, instead of becoming automated addict to our smartphones, to only use that as a tool that support our practical daily lives instead of it becoming a total possession/obsession  that one is using to not face oneself by escaping to some illusionary reality that gives one comfort and to thus, sort out the inner reactions one is suppressing within oneself. It is a pattern that I commit myself to correct and change and to in that, become comfortable within myself, where ever I am, as I'm here, in my physical body that can breath and live regardless of whom I am with in my environment.