Hop scotch, jump rope, jacks, scribbled chalk on sidewalks, home-made play dough, grass-stained knees, spin-the-bottle, scavenger hunts, pajama parties, jiffy-pop popcorn, root-beer floats, make your own sundaes, Nancy Drew Mysteries, bell-bottoms, Twister, Candy Land, where did they all go?
I live in one of the most sophisticated cities in the world. It is a melting pot of eclectic personalities, diverse cultures, countless languages, brilliant artists, divine culinary eateries, best-dressed professionals, chic fashion, famous personalities, superb universities, dilettantish dog-walkers, etc, etc. Despite the allure this city affords, there seems to be an incredible lack of genuine connection.
I get it. We need our blackberrys, our ipods, our cell phones, our lap tops, our digital notepads, our GPS transmitters, our roll-em-up keyboards, our eye clops mini projectors, our pogo digital cameras, our MP3 players, our noise-canceling headphones, our pen scanners for copious note takers, our skype wi-fi phones, our bipedal humanoid robot gadgets, our portable media players, our picture taking binoculars, the list goes on.
I get the fact that with all this high tech stuff, we are seemingly able to connect with anyone, anywhere, anytime. Yet, the truth of the matter is that such connection really does not promote connection of the heart. We are so in our comfort zone texting, emailing, i-chatting, aim-ing, skyping, we have lost connection. In fact, I consciously promise myself everyday when I traverse the streets of the Big Apple, I will not tune out. Yet, when the fifth person bumps into me because he or she has her head down clicking fingers on that digitalized phone, I want to rage. I know, I am just as much a culprit as anyone else is.
Let's be frank. How many of you are bold and bona-fide sincere enough to express your true feelings to another individual without your handy devices? How many of you take accountability for your actions being congruent to your words without your handy paraphernalia stuck to your hip or your ear? How many of you get out of dates, appointments, places you may not want to be, and be culpable for how your behavior may impact someone else because you decided to flick a switch instead of committing to face-to-face contact?
This is what I propose: I dare you to put away all your stuff, call someone up and invite them over for a home-made meal, write a letter on real paper to someone who needs to know they are valued, and stuff it in their coat pocket when they are not looking, put some flowers in someone's underwear drawer, bake real-live cookies, wrap them up and bring them over to someone you care about or do not even know, and do not rely on online convenience, offer a hug because you can, say thank you, listen with honest intent and mean it, open the door for someone, find humor instead of anger in a pending situation, don't focus on the outcome, don't make inexcusable excuses, and just follow through with indebted gratitude in your heart.
The truth: I will host a jack and jump-rope party for all of you who can abide by this simple premise: Dare yourself to be loving and kind and for one hour a day, no use of electronic devices!
Trip the light fantastic!
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