Look Up

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Picture this. It’s a beautiful summer day. One of those days with the right mix of sun and high clouds, nice breeze, not too hot and low humidity. So like many I think what a nice day to stop at a park and carve out some time to just enjoy. While I’m there I start to people watch. And I start to see this interesting phenomena. I see people of all ages, walks of life and cultures coming and going, walking, running, skateboarding, biking and more—but all looking down at their device (yes, the smartphone).

I like my technology and devices, and being connected, just like most people—but sitting there watching this I started to think what is so important that on this beautiful day that the majority of people were not looking up. I saw couples, groups of friends, etc. together, but not engaged with each other. They were all looking at and using their phones/devices.

So I thought—why would you take time to go to the park on this great summer day (I would say with the intention to enjoy the sun and fresh air, to relax, to “get away,” etc.) and not really be in the moment and not look up and see and take it all in.  park bench bridge

Life can get busy. It is filled with lots of distractions and “to-do’s (yes, most self imposed)—and when we set aside time to cultivate rest and to take a break to nurture our minds, bodies and souls—why do we feel the need to be attached to the devices in our hands, to, in a sense, be somewhere else?

It is an excuse not to really be in that moment? I ask you to really think about that.

I know for many of us we are brainwashed to think what we produce correlates to who we are. There  is some badge of honor for being busy, finishing one task and moving right to the next, of having to get to that email, or rush to somewhere to be. This mindset and corresponding behavior has become so pervasive and imbedded in our selves. We have built-in distraction—right in our own beings. And worse, we may not see it.

We may justify it as everyone else is doing it, or as isn’t technology great that I can be in “two or more” places at the same time. We start to lose fully enjoying where we are right now, in this moment. For too many there are no moments.  For some they try to capture the moment by taking pictures with their smart devices. But you can only capture a moment by fully being in that moment.

It is time to have those moments. It’s time to look up and take in what is around you and who you are with. It’s time to cultivate rest. And a great starting point is to put the devices down, to look up and to talk to each other. It is time to take moments to reflect and be with yourself.

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