What Technology Takes Away

Cover art: Modern Family on Vacation

I'm not a huge techie of a person. In fact, despite the urgings of Super Hubby and friends, I do not own a SmartPhone of any kind. I still use them-there flip-top phones, y'all! Yet, around me the world is moving forward while I'm dragging my heals into the dirt of status quo. I can only speak for myself, of course, as Super Hubby has the latest and greatest. He has to, as a computer consultant. So, our house is filled with gadgets to which I do not know their purpose. There are remotes lying around the house that I'm not exactly sure how to use. Just to turn on our television you need two remotes and you must go through at least a series of 3 action sequences just to catch the local news channel (I feel so bad for the babysitter). And, there are electronic boxes in our home that go blinky-blinky to which I probably rely on daily and not even realize it (i.e. internet router so I can publish this daily blog).

We have some how become so dependent on our electronic devices that we deem it a personal victory, a declaration of freedom, if you will, to turn off the device for an evening. Or, dare I say it? An entire weekend! Why is this an accomplishment? Yet, we itch for the quick e-mail check, the brrinng of the text coming in, just like a crack addict on the first day of re-hab.

I'm beginning to despise the SmartPhone, the iPad, the iPod, because it's taken away something I'm beginning to miss these days: looking into people's eyes. Yes, that's right. Admiring the beautiful coloring and unique shapes of people's eyes. All I see now is people's foreheads, and I'm wondering as I'm speaking to their hair follicles if I'm even being heard by the person right in front of me. As much as we'd like to boast or believe, multi-tasking is not a human trait that is adopted easily. If you think you've got it down pat, you've probably been misled between the simultaneous texting, scheduling, driving, coffee drinking, and child-rearing. But, anyway, who's going to notice?