Category: Society

LET GO AND GET BACK TO BASICS

Published on by KCLeave a comment

So, I have made quite a few BIG decisions in the past couple of weeks and probably the most shocking one is….Drum Roll Please…..

I have traded my super smart iPhone for a not so smart flip phone! Oh yes I did!

You’re probably saying “what a crazy lady!” Yah I know…However, If you have been reading my posts these past few months, you will have seen a post about what is happening to our kids who now have cell phones and spend all of their time with their faces glued to their screen and how that disconnect is actually taking us further and further away from the most important things in life!

For several months now I have been logging just how many times a day I picked up my smart phone and I’m ashamed to say that with all the gadgets and apps associated with that fancy phone the highest number was 127 times. That was in 16 hours. That equals 7.93 lifts an hour and I didn’t even burn any calories for it.

I had to stop myself and take a long deep breath and ask “what the hell was I doing that was so important to pick up that device 127 times?”  The stone cold truth is NOTHING!

I found myself tripping around from Face book to the earthquake app then over to Pinterest. Then I would check my text messages, moving onto checking out all the news on Signal, Rumble, Telegram. I checked my astrological forecast every day to see what kind of a day I could expect (like that really makes any difference at all). I checked my fit bit to see how many more steps I needed before I hit my target goal for the day.  I played a little backgammon with myself and won. I spent a few minutes stalking my grown son on FB messenger, and it seems that I did many of these activities several times a day, almost as if I was a pre-programmed robot.

Since giving up my iPhone – I have spent many quality hours with my elderly mother, I cook more wholesome meals. I have been outside everyday breathing in the fresh air and playing with my pup. The biggest difference and I feel the most important one, is that I feel less stressed, more connected to the earth and reality and I sleep better!

So…I challenge everyone to put down your phones and devices for one whole week! Try new things, breath more fresh air, soak in some sun, and let the folks in your life know that you love them with your undivided attention. See the difference for yourself!

Blessings to you!

Copyright©2021-The Splendor of it all

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

Published on by KCLeave a comment

I realize this is a post that takes a bit of a different turn than my previous meanderings, but as someone who is now a mid-centurion and has grown children, I just couldn’t keep silent on this topic.

The photos above depict then and now. The photo on the left is all about children playing outdoors and enjoying themselves with something as simple as blowing bubbles, while the photo on the right shows how things are today!

This post formed a few days ago while I was sitting outside in front of my house, under my favorite maple tree just watching a few cars pass by, the occasional couple walking their dogs, and the kids.

The kids that strolled by were completely oblivious to what was going on around them. They didn’t talk to one another or even seem interested in who was walking beside them. They all had their cell phones in their faces! They almost looked like the damn things were glued to their hands and their eyes all shared the same glazed over expression.  A couple of them didn’t even bother to look for cars as they bounced off the curb into the street. Their pace and head position never changed.

How did we get here? Technology is awesome for so many things, but after witnessing the above, it’s time to take those devices seriously – This didn’t appear to be fun or engaging – it appeared to be the beginning of a mini-people zombie apocalypse.

When I was a kid…I’m sure many readers who are not of my age will say that they have heard this line from their parents way too many times, but the truth is the truth! We played outside until the street lights went on and that was our cue to be home for supper with no excuses. We played in the fields, the streams and even in the streets. We built forts, played dodge ball (I think they have outlawed this one for cruelty?), filled up water balloons and found tons of things to do that embodied the spirit of togetherness, communication and camaraderie.

My friends included all shapes, sizes and ethnicity’s. We were neighborhood kids. Everyone had something to contribute! Was there the occasional tiff or hurt feelings? Of course there was – we were little people navigating our way around the beginnings of our social patterns. Those little hiccups between us never seemed to last very long, because the important thing was we had each other. We shared complaints about how unfair our parents were and dreamed about the next new toy or gadget.

I am so sad to witness the end of the art conversation as I knew it! The emotionless world of technology is grand for research and work, but if this is the conversation of the future…texts and emoji’s  – Where does this leave us?

Blessings to you!

Copyright© 2021 – The Splendor of it all