Being Present (Digital vs Physical)

It’s been 10 minutes and no one has said a word, but no one has noticed. From an outsiders point of view the scene has to be weird. Four people sitting at a table together, not saying a word but frantically tapping away on their iPhones. The four at the table are too engulfed to talk to each other, let alone the observers at the restaurant giving them glances.

While I’m making this scenario up, it doesn’t seem too far fetched. Ten minutes might be a long time but it’s definitely happened to me and friends for a brief period and it’s only something that I think will get worse if not checked.

Physical > digital and that is something I try to remind myself of often when meeting with friends or at dinner. It might be habit when I feel my phone buzz to immediately reach for it and answer, but I’d like to break that habit. I would like to cherish who I’m with at the time and wait on answering my iPhone. 

I try to be accessible and quick to respond to emails, texts, Kiks, Whatsapp etc. but I think that should be to a point. As technology becomes even more integrated in our lives, I hope to remember to keep that fine line intact and remember to stay present in the physical.