Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Is Anybody Paying Attention Anymore?

Ok the other day I turned out of my driveway and drove my usual route to work. I passed four people out walking. All of them had their heads down looking at a phone. I suppose they were texting.

Two of them were literally in the road. They were not even on the sidewalk which I suppose could be considered a "safe-texting-zone." So here's my point. Pay attention to where you are going. I don't mean that as ugly as it sounds. I mean pay attention to the walk not the text. You are passing by flowers, trees, people, (cars), and well....life.

Those who are not texting are talking on the cell phone as they walk. Leave the phone at home. It will be there when you get back from your walk. Walk and pay attention. I read this week that the Painted Bunting is on the loose. They are mutl-colored birds that do not visit us for long. One them could land on one of the texter/talker' shoulders and he or she would not even see the colors for the text/words or whatever.

We are becoming too "connected" for heaven's sake. Separate yourself from technology at least for a walk. There are sounds out there that are not coming from a device. They are coming from crickets and birds and why did you know that the breeze even makes a sound. You have to be sort of quite to hear the sound of the breeze but it is worth the wait.

Look up when you walk. Listen to the breeze when you walk. Life is getting too full. To fill our walks with ears full of sound waves and our eyes full of "text" is to leave us empty.

As Emily said in the play "Our Town" after she was allowed to come back from death to observe one day in her life; "Does anyone realize life while they are living it?"

I hate to tell you Emily but it is worse than when you came back.

Realize life...now.

Jody