Cellphone Borders Part II
August 19, 2009
Yesterday our family purchased new cell phones, which is really pretty exciting for us. For the first time ever we have text messaging and the ability to send photographs to one another. We have teenagers who will now be able to actually communicate with others in the teen text vernacular. Cathy and I also actually bought decent phones for the first time ever. We had considered the iPhone, but in the end the could not justify the additional cost of the phones and the monthly data fees which accompany their usage. So, in the evening after picking up our phones we went to play a relaxing round of miniature golf. Sure enough, a mom in a group near ours spent considerable time checking her phone, and texting people. She was there with what I assume are the most important people in her life, yet mentally disconnected from her family and the fun game at hand. I would like to think that her attachment to the phone was necessary, perhaps she was waiting for her doctor to contact her with a test result, or maybe she had a young daughter on a date an she was waiting for confirmation that she had returned home safely. That is what I hope, because she was distancing herself from those nearest to her. Be in the moment, enjoy the company of those around you, give into their lives. You can check messages later, it will wait.