Taking Technology for Granted

On a recent trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, I realized how much I take technology for granted. As someone who lives, breathes, and dreams about technology, it was a wake-up call.

Refusing to pay the extra dollars for international service, my phone was out-of-service the moment we boarded the plane. I immediately felt disconnected from the world.

At our hotel, the WiFi service had regular issues, and you never knew when you would have access to the Internet or not. Updating my daily writing and checking Facebook became major tasks at times.

Only occasionally checking my email, my inbox was quickly filling. I decided to check the most important messages and save the rest for later, but in the back of my mind, I worried that I may be missing something important.

Sitting at a local restaurant, I reached for my phone as we waited – a usual habit when I find myself waiting anywhere. Without email to read, Facebook to check, or an ebook to read, I almost felt lost.

Here we were in paradise, and I felt out of place. I missed the technology that had become such an ingrained part of my life.

It’s amazing to think how much technology has become a part of our daily lives. Only in the past decade or so has it become this way. What was life like back in 1997 before smartphones, regular Internet access, and a host of other technologies dominated our existence?

A week off from technology forced me to find other ways to entertain myself. My wife and I enjoyed great conversation together, I spent a great deal more time reading (a paperback, no less), and I found myself staring at the ocean waves for hours – doing nothing more than admiring their beauty.

It has been a great experience to rediscover the beauty of the world around us. From the joy of personal interaction (and not through social media) to enjoying the beauty of God’s creation, it was a real joy to bask in the glow of real life again.

Technology is great. I love it so much that I have built my career around it. But we cannot let it consume us to the point that we are missing out on what’s really important.

I love technology, but I love the people, places, and moments that God brings into our lives even more. Turn off your cell phone, disconnect from the Internet, and take some time to enjoy the life God has given you.

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