No Wi-Fi?!

In a world where everyone faces the ground, I took a chance and looked up and saw this very ironic sign. I snickered to myself and stole a picture, clearly not receiving the intended message of limiting cell-phone distraction. And yet again disregarding the message by posting this using the LTE network that every place has even if they don't have Wi-Fi; including Fred's Mexican Cantina on Main St. I consider myself a pretty self aware gal and I don't know if by saying that I completely discredit myself or how all of that shit works but I think that I have a pretty good grasp on reality and interpersonal connection as a young lady of many words.

In today's society, if what we want to say cannot be condensed into 140 characters our ideas slip into oblivion, never to be found or shared with the world. Break-ups, and other incredibly influential life decisions are made through text messages, absent the voice of reason from either party. Opinions and concepts are formed based upon what pops up as the most recent idea on someone's social media feed. Today I just learned that there was a nuclear cell particle that was found on a radioactive succulent located in the Gobi Desert. This cactus was said to have been quite literally glowing green from the radiation and mutation. Sand around the cactus was mostly charred but only had damage to the very surface layer, almost as if burned. Scientists from a nearby University of some sort concluded that the plant had caught fire in a lightning storm and shocked photons into an excited state to form a green aura of light around the thorns. Bullshit. Complete nonsense. But, for two seconds I had you. Don't lie.

Anyways. Point is, what you see on the internet could be wrong. As a generation we don't do enough experiencing and lack immersion into areas beyond our comfort zone. We don't jump into new cultures without strictly researching every possible outcome of every possible situation that our moms scared us with when we sprung the news of the trip to her short notice.

Everything we do now has an aim, an endgame, a finish line. And for what? Likes? Comments? The feeling of joy from a notification? Maybe Mic from your past seeing it and remembering you? Maybe that girl that made fun of you in high school seeing that you didn't get fat? Everything we do now is for the perfect picture or for the opportunity to hear the perfect line of comedic gold that will be turned into a meme or show everyone else what you are doing and listening to at all times. Even though, with that distraction, you are simply floating through these experiences; not present in your own body and mind. Empty in the shell, hiding in the spaces dark in your brain, filled to the brim with useless babble.

Everyone is more worried about what others think about their lives than they even do...and they are the ones actually living it. Not everything you do in life needs to be shown off. Not everything needs to be perfect. Because perfect is impossible and everyone needs to know that. In today's day and age that idea is lost. Your life is yours only and no one else is living it except for you so why do we try day in and day out to make it seem as though we are living the perfect life if we aren't. Why do we care about what others think about our own lives? There's limited satisfaction in all of that because you will forever be chasing something that is unattainable. You want everyone to wish that they were you. But, there's no fun in that if you don't even want to be you.

Try new things without googling them first. Immerse yourself in something scary or go sit on a bench at a park without your phone. Something simple. The world can go a few hours without knowing what you are doing. Do something small for yourself every day that you and only you can see and keep that special. Don't lose that time if you have it and if you don't yet, I'd say get on it and make time for it. You'll feel much better every day doing one small thing for yourself and by yourself than trying to fill your day with a thousand different things that you are only semi-enjoying because you are trying to get the perfect picture to show off on social media to further the facade.

Take time for yourself. Get off your phone. Stop taking pictures and just sit quietly and enjoy what's around you. It's like a breath of fresh air.