A Life Beyond Screens
Technology isn't so much an amenity as it is a way of life. It's not an extra, it's a necessity. Sometimes I wonder what would happen if all the smartphones, tablets, computers... if all of it suddenly stopped working.
What would we do?
I somehow doubt we would shrug our shoulders, say "Oh well, it was nice while it lasted," and continue on our merry way.
But there were a few brief days where I felt like I could.
On my study abroad to New Zealand, wifi was sparse, data was limited, and battery power was draining constantly.
To some, it was a nightmare.
To me, it was freeing.
Granted, for our assignments, we were expected to take video footage of anything and everything worth capturing for our class projects, so I had my phone out almost constantly anyways.
Then there was the road trip.
Normally, I would make sure to download all sorts of content to read, listen to, or watch for several hours spent in the car. However, with the limited wifi situation, that wasn't possible. Boy am I grateful for that.
If I had been glued to my screen, I might have missed the stunning beauty of the northern island of New Zealand.
So I let go. I was free. I explored beaches, climbed jagged rocks, swam into waterfalls, and lost myself to the beauty and adventure of the countryside. I wandered in silence, allowing the waves to gently kiss my bare feet.
I swam through a crowd of seaweed just because I was curious about how it would feel. I swam against the current just to feel the burn in my muscles. I gathered up shells and laid them artistically on the sand. I laid out in the sun and ignored the burn of the angry sun on my skin.
And through it all, my phone was silent, buried in my bag.
Never have I been more disconnected from the world and more connected with myself.
Am I saying we should all toss our iPhones into the nearest ocean? Of course not. And it was a relief getting back to my home where I could shoot my family and friends a message whenever I felt like it. We can't simply choose to ignore technology forever in favor of self-discovery.
But we can tune out for a moment. We can switch on airplane mode and cut off the technology we attach to ourselves like IVs.
Maybe just for a minute, we can live beyond screens.
What would we do?I somehow doubt we would shrug our shoulders, say "Oh well, it was nice while it lasted," and continue on our merry way.
But there were a few brief days where I felt like I could.
On my study abroad to New Zealand, wifi was sparse, data was limited, and battery power was draining constantly.
To some, it was a nightmare.
To me, it was freeing.
Granted, for our assignments, we were expected to take video footage of anything and everything worth capturing for our class projects, so I had my phone out almost constantly anyways.
Then there was the road trip.
Normally, I would make sure to download all sorts of content to read, listen to, or watch for several hours spent in the car. However, with the limited wifi situation, that wasn't possible. Boy am I grateful for that.
If I had been glued to my screen, I might have missed the stunning beauty of the northern island of New Zealand.
So I let go. I was free. I explored beaches, climbed jagged rocks, swam into waterfalls, and lost myself to the beauty and adventure of the countryside. I wandered in silence, allowing the waves to gently kiss my bare feet.
I swam through a crowd of seaweed just because I was curious about how it would feel. I swam against the current just to feel the burn in my muscles. I gathered up shells and laid them artistically on the sand. I laid out in the sun and ignored the burn of the angry sun on my skin.And through it all, my phone was silent, buried in my bag.
Never have I been more disconnected from the world and more connected with myself.
Am I saying we should all toss our iPhones into the nearest ocean? Of course not. And it was a relief getting back to my home where I could shoot my family and friends a message whenever I felt like it. We can't simply choose to ignore technology forever in favor of self-discovery.
But we can tune out for a moment. We can switch on airplane mode and cut off the technology we attach to ourselves like IVs.Maybe just for a minute, we can live beyond screens.
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