I lost the cord to recharge my cell phone about 3 weeks ago. It was not until yesterday that I found the cord. It was nice not to have any interruptions as I went about my daily life. I love technology but I do not love it all the time.
The Impact of Being Fully Present
In China, I have a young friend who has been so helpful to translate for me. I decided one day to take him out to a very nice dinner. I observed that he took several phone calls on the way to the restaurant and then continued as we ate. I finally said, “John would you like to turn off your phone so that we can enjoy this dinner together.” After the phone was off we enjoy a wonderful evening. It was at that time I realized that he could not resist the ring on his phone and that when he turned it off I learned so much about him and his experience growing up in a culture that is so foreign to me.
Reflections on Life Without Interruptions
I remember the days that we were not in touch with the world until we got near a phone that had a line to the outside world. Sometimes I would like to go back to those times, as it seems to me that it was much easier and more enjoyable to be with out all the interruptions that come with being connected every minute to the world through technology. I would say 99.99% of the texts and calls that come in could wait for later, and for the .01 %, an ambulance will get there much faster than I will.
How often are we distracted by electronics? I have made the decision to ask people to call my home number when they want to talk to me. I have a phone that is connected through the Internet and it sends me an email message as soon as the message is left on my phone. After many years of jumping to the beat of a ring, I have turned it off and now find myself enjoying the moment much more. I can tune in to my experience without it being constantly interrupted. The calls that I receive are important, but not more important than my enjoyment and fully experiencing my life and the people that I am with.
Personal Guidelines for Managing Technology
Here are the guidelines I have set for myself.
1.If I am with someone I will turn off my phone or at home I choose not to answer my phone while someone is visiting
2.When I go to a restaurant I leave my phone in the car.
3.When I am driving I like to turn off the phone and then it is not a temptation to see who is calling
4.If I am in my car and I want to make a call or get a call I look for an open safe place on the side of the road to pull off and then I can give my attention to the person I am talking to.
