Nothing seemed so important to me than my cell phone. It was everything clock, contact with people and boredom fixer. All of us read about how technology is sucking away our lives and we don’t even notice it. There were plenty of media coverage and blogs that stated how we depend on our technology so much more now that everything is in arms reach. What happened to face to face conversations and the old fashion letters that we use to look forward to? Many of us have traded a large part of our time and connection to another human being for something that is instant and seemed like it helps our friendships.
I decided that on Sunday January 25 that I would turn my cell phone off, I didn’t cancel my account I simply powered down my cell. And guess what, I have more time for things and spend more time with my family. Face to face time seemed almost new to me, I realized that I am in fact missing out on important things in my family’s life. It has only been about three days and I can say that yes it was hard not to log onto all my social media sites and see what people were doing. But today I noticed that I just don’t care. Many of the social sites I belong to were always full of people venting out their issues, calling out someone who did them wrong, or some silly link to another website for something that they considered funny. But I think about it now and really it is a media site full of people who are giving up on real relationships for ones that satisfies them instantly. I am tired of that, I had many ‘friends’ and ‘followers’ on my social media sites but I only really knew about 10 of them personally.
Now I know going cell phone less seems like a challenge but I do carry it still for safety reasons, however, it sits in my purse shut off but charged. Being able to get a hold of people instantly was hard to give up the first day or so but today I enjoy the silence of my house. I spend time with my girls, clean my house and am able to remember who I was before that little machine took over a part in my life. I am happy with my choice to be without my cell for a week. I don’t really care that Sunday is coming up and I will be turning it back on, but my new rule will be to power down that little sucker at 6 pm every day. But I know for a fact that just like social media not a lot of people would message my cell phone to see what I am doing, because nobody cares. Like on social media sites nobody really cares they just give the illusion that they care because it makes them feel better.
I have gone back to a schedule that I had before the cell phone was by my side. I have realized that I need to find my watch, but times seems to still pass as before, it would just help if I didn’t have to search for a clock to figure out the time. I actually watch television shows now; I pay attention and follow along. I caught myself watching a show that I thought I would never watch before because social media didn’t have any influence on my choice anymore. It didn’t matter if someone thought this show sucked or was boring, I like it. Without the constant opinions of others to sway how I make choices on what I want to watch or wear I am able to be the individual I was growing up. I just don’t care if someone dislikes the shows I like, I don’t care if they are negative. These so called friends aren’t in my life now because neither they nor I made a step towards the friendship.
I have time for me, I can knit if I want, or bake or my favorite just sit and drink my tea and look around at my life and find myself completely satisfied that I have in fact accomplished half of my dream of being a Mom. The dream it not done yet, for I am still living it.
maryemiranda 