Image created by Kate Taliaferro using free elements in Canva.com. All rights reserved.[/caption]
I was sitting at Vacation Bible School, helping out in the nursery. One of the other mothers had just taken her daughter out to change her diaper. She left her phone on the table. It began to ring, and one of the other helpers immediately picked it up and ran to take it to her. At the surface, there may not seem to be anything wrong with this scene. I admit, I've done the same thing as that helper. When someone else's phone rings and they are not nearby, I feel this urgency to get their phone to them. Do you ever feel this? It's a rather silly thought; I mean, even before cell phones, we had answering machines for goodness' sake!
Many of our most "useful" technologies are showing signs of increasing these feelings of urgency. By now we all know that cell phones, laptops, tablets, and social media only give us the false impression that we have more time or are able to manage it better. If anything, we are busier, more anxious, and feel more alone than ever. These technologies impress upon us the weight of urgency. Even as I write this, my phone has buzzed with two emails, a text message, and, I'm sur,e some Facebook or Pinterest notifications.
By keeping technology close at hand, many people feel immense pressure to respond right away. Drop everything for a text. Email has to be read and answered. Social-media posts have to be liked or shared. Everything needs a response. There is this insane urgency surrounding us. As I watched that helper rush out of the room, I was forced to grapple with the reality of the slaves we have willfully become.
As in all things, balance is required. There are so many good and beautiful things that have blossomed because of technology -- this site for certain! There are exceptions and thank goodness we have this kind of connectivity for the times we truly need it. Balance for each of us will look different. For me, it means primarily two things:
Copyright 2018 Kate Taliaferro
- Doing a better job of leaving my phone in one place in the house rather than carrying it around in my pocket all day.
- Doing my best to always choose the person in front of me first, rather than prioritizing the one I am connecting with via technology.
Read more of our Tech Talk columns.
Copyright 2018 Kate Taliaferro
About the Author
Kate Taliaferro
Kate Taliaferro is an Air Force wife and mom of 6. She has a Masters in Religious Education and tries to find God's presence in all parts of her day, be it cooking, cleaning or just the everyday ordinary. She enjoys homeschooling, stitching crafts and finding cheerios between the couch cushions. She blogs at Daily Graces.
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