Learning to Unplug

About a week ago I had a sleek, slender, shiny, beautiful Indigo Blue Motorola Xoom Tablet delivered to my desk - I was so excited I couldn't wait to charge up that puppy and play with my newly found toy. I didn’t care if it was an ipad or tablet, okay maybe I do because I am bias to the Operating System since I love my droid; what can I say am a Google brat. After playing with my new toy for a few days, I noticed I got tired of it, quickly and it became just another piece of technology - and it got me thinking about how many times we get caught up in the hype of technology and simliar cries of addiction about TV, video-games, the internet, ipods and practically every other technology that explodes in popularity and establishes itself as part of our lives. Yes, we are in the midst of an evolution of social interaction in the digital age - but how exactly is having 4 pieces (and I guess by choice) of technology making life less complicated?. I remember when I was a student in college adequately completing my degree without even owning a computer or a cell phone. Today, however, I wake up with my cell phone plugged in near my night stand. I check my email on my tablet; I get in the car with my laptop neatly tucked in my bag and go to work. All of this accessibility, was intended to make life simpler and if I had a dollar for the many times I've picked up my phones and laptop to check my fb account, gmail, gtalk I would be rich living it up on the island somewhere.

Just once in a while I miss the simplicity of coming home to check my voicemail messages that I missed on my home phone while I was busy being present and mulling through my day. I long for walking through crowds of people watching as they have their own individual thoughts or are talking to each other when they don't have a continous soundtrack blaring in the background to accompany their every movement. That is when you can't reflect on your experiences, As Thoreau said "I see, smell, taste, hear, feel that everlasting something to which we are allied." With the iPod attached to your ears, you miss out on many of life's intrinsically pleasurable sensory stimuli. Yeah I know, we live in a culture that is technology driven. If you are not comfortable with computers it is difficult to function well and it will be close to impossible as the years go by. I am totally comfortable with technology, find myself totally addicted and a firm believer in the necessity of using it to reach those in the next generation. Having said all that, I also feel compelled to share that I think a higher being is trying to teach me the importance of learning to unplug and this time I’m listening to my inner spirit.