Theres a man who lives diagonally across the road, at approximately 3pm every day he sits on an old chair that faces the west, he just sits there for about an hour (some days more some days less) he doesnt have a phone in his hand, he just sits and looks out. I have found this really cool to watch out the window. I wonder what he thinks about and what is going through his mind, I bet he is grateful, I bet he is thinking about his friends and family, I bet he is observing the weather and the beautiful noises while soaking up the serenity, I bet he is remembering the good old days. He wouldnt be worried about how many likes his last Instagram selfie got, he wouldnt be worried about what everyone else is doing. He looks so peaceful and content. A few houses up I have been seeing a teenage girl sitting on the back deck, its not every day but its often, she sits there for half an hour at a time. She sits there with a smart phone in her hand and her head faced down into the screen. I bet shes scrolling the news feed of Facebook and other social media platforms like Instagram, I bet she cant hear the birds chirping, I bet she isnt observing the weather, I bet she is worrying about what everyone else is doing. I bet shes taking in copious amounts of information she is seeing online in active news feeds. Maybe she posted a selfie on Instagram and shes worried about the amount of likes it has gotten, maybe shes reading hurtful comments that keyboard warriors have bombarded her with. Today something bizarre came over me! The old man and the young girl were sitting outside in their regular spots at the same time doing what they normally do. I was watching both of them in absolute awe. I wanted to put myself in their shoes, I went and got my phone and sat out on the step and had a scroll through the news feed on Fb, I consciously thought about what I was feeling and thinking (I didnt have to think or feel) I then put my phone inside and went back outside and just sat, I tried to do what the old fellow does, I was looking at the clouds, listening for birds, feeling the chilly weather, thinking about he good old days, looking back on my life, it was hard, I felt uncomfortable and uneasy but it felt so so so good. I know that technology and social media has done some wonderful things for the world but please please please put your smart phone down each day and just sit. I know I will be doing it every day now. I dont want to be in my 80s and not able to just sit and reflect on my life while enjoying the world around me ✌️
Posted on: Sun, 10 Aug 2014 08:15:19 +0000
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