This thought has recently come up from this past weekends events when I forgot my phone before a quick trip and visit with my sister. The mayhem that ensued with that forgotten cellphone was both serious and comical all at the same time. I missed 5 calls, 2 messages and 2 very directed texts. I love that my sister loves me! I do admit that when I realized I forgot my phone, I felt a little naked. I wasn't that far from home where it would've been completely ridiculous to turn around and get it, but instead I took it as an opportunity to be disconnected and enjoy a car ride with music and my thoughts and no distractions.
My feeling of worry when I forgot my phone was not grounded in feeling connected with my sister or a fear of missing out on the newest facebook post. It was more than that. Here's why....get the popcorn!
My childhood took place in the early 1990's and did not include cellphones. We had only a land line at home and I remember very plainly that for local calls, you didn't even have to enter in the full 7 digits, but only 5 and the call would still go through. So instead of 555-1234, all you needed was 5-1234 and the call would still be connected. I grew up in a small town so I'm not sure how common that was across the board, but that's what I remember and my memory is a TRAP!
Continuing on...
Our first cellphone came in a black bag in the late 90's and it looked more like a land line than a cellular phone, at least what I learned from the movies and T.V. The connection was through the lighter in the car (another thing that is non-existent in some vehicles) and if it wasn't plugged-in, it didn't work. Pretty simple.
This phone wasn't something you gabbed-on all night long or even used very often in the car (at least in our family). This cellphone was reserved for emergencies. So my association with cellphones growing up, were not for pleasure or even business, it was only if your car stalled or you were in an accident that you were to use the phone. Only emergencies! Yeah, I got it Dad!
Also, this phone was only in my parents car so it was basically off limits to anyone besides Mom and Dad.
Jump ahead to 11th grade and still no personal cellphone because it was too much money and kids didn't need that kind of thing anyway. Yes, I was still a kid in 11th grade. Well, I was on my way to a friends house in the country all alone (small town in southern Minnesota means you're surrounded by corn fields and half of your class or most friends are going to be from out of town) when all of a sudden a deer ran out in from of me from the right side of the road and it clipped the front drivers side of my car. Anyone who has hit a deer, knows that I was lucky. I was immediately shaken and decided that I didn't need to go to my friends house. I instead turned around and went home.
When I got home, my Mom and Dad were glad to know that I was okay and that the car wasn't badly damaged at all. The lights still worked and there was only a slight dent near the driver's side headlight where there was still fur from the deer. GOLLY! Anyway, it was at this time that I either suggested or it was decided that I was to get a cellphone. Again, I still associated cellphones for emergencies only. I mean I was getting a cellphone because of the deer debacle, which was an emergency. If it had been worse and the car wouldn't have been drivable, I would have had an option to call for help.
This story is the basis for how I still view cellphones today. Though I have a smartphone and I use it for texting, photos, a datebook, the Internet, maps, a dictionary, etc., I still understand the true purpose, in my opinion, of a cellphone. It is an accessory not the focus. My life, friends and family are the focus and my phone is an accessory to that and really only helpful in emergencies. That's why I was nervous when I left my apartment without a phone. It was because if there had been an emergency, I wouldn't have had any way to call for help. And most people passing by a stalled car on the road now assume the people are alright because they probably or most definitely have a cellphone and help is on the way. It reminds me of a study I read in college about altruism and our assumptions that people are being helped so we don't do anything. But that's for another post! :)
Another observation: when I arrived to our destination, I felt lost without being able to contact my sister saying I'd made it and to find out when she'd arrive. It's amazing how much we don't plan anymore. We used to have to plan to meet "at the mall, at Barnes & Noble, in the movie section at 4 o'clock sharp!" Now, we just say, "I'll call you when I get there." It's almost like we don't have to be people of our word anymore. We don't have to be on-time because we can "just call" if we're late and we don't have to be where we planned because, you guessed it, we can "just call" and change things last minute. Of course for the most part, the freedom in being able to adjust the plans we do make is great, but it's amazing how these adjustments mean we're to be dependent on our phone.
With that, I challenge to take a day-off from your cellphone. I'm not saying cellphones are bad or horrible, I'm just saying we should take a moment to remember how life used to be before texting during lunch with friends or taking dark pictures of our food and uploading it to Instagram. I'm pretty sure our selves prior to cellphones would think we're rude and boring!
"Action expresses priorities." Mahatma Gandhi
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