I have come to realize that amidst all of the amazing things we can do in this modern age...we have lost some things along the way. The ability to use a rotary phone. The knowledge of how to do simple math without the aid of an electronic device. The ability to concentrate on a single topic for more than 45 seconds...and oh...what was the other thing...oh yea, we have completely forgotten how to listen.
We are so busy doing everything we seem to think we just HAVE to do that we rarely slow down long enough to collect our thoughts or listen to what the people around us are telling us. Our spouses are telling us to look them in the eyes and connect with them once in awhile. Our children are telling us that they are growing up right in front of our eyes and we are missing every last second of it. Our friends are telling us that they would rather have us sitting across the table from then than texting us from across town. The people at work are trying to tell us that they want to know who we are and what really makes us tick, not just what our Facebook site says we did the last time we actually took a day off. We have killed our attention spans with gadgets, gizmos and high speed wireless thingamabobs. It's a fact Jack.
When is the last time you went for a walk with someone and left your cell phone at home. How often do you unplug and walk away from technology long enough to feel the sun on your face and watch a bird fly from a tree. When was the last time you asked a young child what was on their mind and then listened attentively without pulling out your phone and checking for messages or rushing them along so you could turn the TV back on.
Let's face it. We have become terrible listeners with the collective attention span of a common housefly. Worse. Houseflies are pretty persistent.
So unplug. Offer up both ears and all of your senses. Your friends, spouse and kids are worth it. Besides, the phone in your pocket is outdated anyway and what they have to say is real-time. Click.
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