Offline

Have you ever lived without your phone for an extended period? I don’t want to judge but you probably haven’t. Here is the thing neither have I. I do however know that I could.

A phone is one of those things I would say I can not live without but I know I could and I understand how unimportant it is. A phone is something so unnecessary but it can sometimes feel like a lifeline. We live in a completely digital world where you are expected to be online and ready to chat every hour of the day. Even at a concert or on holiday everyone is always just taking pictures and while doing so you are missing the real fun. My Nan told me a story once about a holiday she went on She was on a boat and there were all these dolphins so she took photos of a whole bunch of them. While busy taking photos she forgot to enjoy life and to see the dolphins.

Taking it back to me, in the period I was the happiest I only have a handful of photos. I have some that I made for Instagram or to send to someone and that is it. The funny thing is that the way I look back (in my mind) on that period of my life it doesn’t matter that I have no photos because it is just love and happiness that fills me when I think back at that season of my life.

I was at a concert once and the performer asked everyone to put away their phones. To just enjoy the song. The girl in front of me had her phone in my face the whole time. And during that song, she didn’t stop. I truly think it is sad that you can’t even listen to someone who asks you nicely to put your phone away. 

I think this is a skill that people nowadays need to learn. We need to teach our children the importance of being offline. The importance of really being in the moment. My friends and I rarely use our phones while we are eating together. We either put them away or put them together not touching them until the dinner is over. If you can’t connect with people in real life. If you can’t just live fully in the real world. You truly have a problem.

Through being offline you can find yourself, and you can learn to connect. With yourself as well as others. I will write more about this in the future but disconnect from time to time. Worst case scenario you will appreciate the digital world more, best case scenario: you fall in love with everything life has to offer.

Lots of love,
Melissa