Leave Them Unread

While I was driving this morning, I spotted a billboard sign that said “Leave them unread”. I know that it was meant to tell drivers that they shouldn’t be checking their messages while driving, but to me it meant something else.

Last night I went out to dinner at a local steakhouse. The parking lot requires you to pay for the parking by scanning a bar code, or texting a code, that will then link you to the site where you will then enter your credit card info etc. So it followed that as soon as I got there, I realized that I had left my iphone at home. I thought to myself…now what?

During the conversation at dinner it became very evident how much I rely on my phone. Every so often I would look for it to illustrate something I was saying or to show a photo. I also found myself looking for it to find answers to a question that was asked. I have to admit that even though I initially felt that it was a good thing that I had left it behind, I began feeling a little bereft without it. I think I am addicted to my phone!

I have to admit that many good things have come with it. I am now free to work from anywhere in the world because I truly have my office in my hand. Seldom do I even require the use of a laptop. I imagine that if you are the parent of a teenager it is also a good thing… seeing it from the parent’s point of view. Or if you have elderly parents as well. I am able to hail an Uber if ever in need, and I was once able to get the lock of my bike unlocked by googling “How to break into a lock”. Yes… troubling.

However, it has also diminished our quality of life in other ways. It used to be that we could go to dinner and not get messages or calls. If someone called you, the message would be in the recorder at home or at work. If you went out with your friends, your mother had to wait to hear from you. Now work follows you around. Your mother is with you all the time. It’s considered rude if you don’t at least acknowledge the calls with a text….because lets face it…everyone knows that the phone is with you like an appendix. The excuses don’t hold water. You immediately think…how difficult is it to send a quick text telling you that they cannot talk right now?…which it was obvious since they didn’t pick up the call in the first place.

Now, women go on a date and then suffer all day if the guy is not calling or texting them. The same for guys if they don’t get a fast response from a girl. Young people are losing the ability to converse properly. I have personally observed couples or friends sitting together and yet failing to enjoy each other because they are just looking at their phones instead.

It saddens me when I see babies being soothed by tablets or cellphones. This does not fare well for future generations!

I believe that these cellphones have robbed me of my privacy. They have robbed me of my peace. They have robbed me of my ability to enjoy the moment many many times. And yes, they have robbed me of my right to give an excuse like…it’s in the mail, my recorder didn’t record, I didn’t get the call. Haha! In short, instead of making my life easier, they have added stress to it.

I am a prisoner of my phone!

You see? I just now lost my train of thought because a text came in and I just had to respond to it immediately. Oh, that’s right… I was ranting…not raving. Well…whatever.

I absolutely love my iPhone. 😐