Twenty years ago we would happily wait a week to receive information in the mail and comment on how quickly we received it.
Now, in 2007 we expect everything to have immediate gratification.
Wait a week for a document? How ridiculous. I can have it emailed, faxed or download it.
Wait for Monday to go to the bank? Why? I can pay with my debit card and access my account 24/7 online. I can have everything direct deposited. I don't have to go to the bank at all.
Although technology has allowed us to be able to access information in Tibet in less than 10 seconds, there are some major drawbacks. One of the most important one is the lack of patience in every day living.
We no longer enjoy the drive in the car jamming to our favorite tunes. We talk on our cell phone while yelling at the "slow" driver in front of us who is only going 5 miles over the speed limit.
What happened to sitting in a cafe with your friends drinking coffee/tea/cocoa while catching up with each other?
Going for a walk or bike ride with your kids?
Going camping, leaving the cell phone, laptop and TV with satellite at home and just enjoying toasted marshmallows and grilled steak?
I remember going on vacation in the family station wagon and it taking 3 days to get to California from Washington State. The journey was part of the vacation. We would stop and see interesting landmarks and eat in local eateries that served local delicacies.
Now we fly to get where we are going and miss (sometimes) the best part of the trip. The journey.
I wish that there was a day - Just a day- where we turned everything off. No cell phones, computers, TV's, video games and even cars and just lived the journey for one day.
We could do the most imortant thing that we are supposed to do, but usually mess up. Being where you are mentally when you are there physically. Not worrying about what you have to do tomorrow, but enjoying where you are right now.
This moment
This breath
This second
This friend
This family
This game
This meal
This life
Now, in 2007 we expect everything to have immediate gratification.
Wait a week for a document? How ridiculous. I can have it emailed, faxed or download it.
Wait for Monday to go to the bank? Why? I can pay with my debit card and access my account 24/7 online. I can have everything direct deposited. I don't have to go to the bank at all.
Although technology has allowed us to be able to access information in Tibet in less than 10 seconds, there are some major drawbacks. One of the most important one is the lack of patience in every day living.
We no longer enjoy the drive in the car jamming to our favorite tunes. We talk on our cell phone while yelling at the "slow" driver in front of us who is only going 5 miles over the speed limit.
What happened to sitting in a cafe with your friends drinking coffee/tea/cocoa while catching up with each other?
Going for a walk or bike ride with your kids?
Going camping, leaving the cell phone, laptop and TV with satellite at home and just enjoying toasted marshmallows and grilled steak?
I remember going on vacation in the family station wagon and it taking 3 days to get to California from Washington State. The journey was part of the vacation. We would stop and see interesting landmarks and eat in local eateries that served local delicacies.
Now we fly to get where we are going and miss (sometimes) the best part of the trip. The journey.
I wish that there was a day - Just a day- where we turned everything off. No cell phones, computers, TV's, video games and even cars and just lived the journey for one day.
We could do the most imortant thing that we are supposed to do, but usually mess up. Being where you are mentally when you are there physically. Not worrying about what you have to do tomorrow, but enjoying where you are right now.
This moment
This breath
This second
This friend
This family
This game
This meal
This life
16 comments:
It is much more gratifying having taken a journey and having the memories to share.. the stories you tell about the journey.. I love camping and roasting Marshmallows and grilling steak.. Oh the memories..great post BTW...
I love this post Rachel! This past summer we took our first ever (somewhat) family vacation. On the way home from Texas to Montana I wanted to take a few days and stop and see stuff, but nobody else was game. They all wanted to rush and get home! What the heck for?! So we hurried up, got home and sat around saying wish we would stopped here or here or here. When the weather is nice, I often will drop my son off at school and then take the long way home (which in my small town isn't terribly long :-)) and listen to music just to be out for a while. My son likes to do that when I pick him up on nice days too. We do miss lots of fun because of the rush rush lifestyle we all live.
Did you know that Spain has a national (not government-sponsored, but still national) no-cellphone day? It's March 1st or 2nd I believe. I think that's a good idea, except if... it's your birthday.
But I agree, there are things we no longer value because we are used to having everything RRRRRIGHT NOW!!
babybull40 ~ I have fantastic memories of just sitting at the dining room table playing board games with my family.
The little things make such a huge difference.
Reformat ~ Exactly. Sometimes I will stop and let D play at the park. Or we get home and I make him go outside to play with the neighbor kids instead of playing video games.
not so little woman ~ It would suck if no cell phone day was on your birthday. Other than that the concept is fantastic.
In Iowa we have those days during ice storms and after tornadoes. It does feel liberating sometimes.
How you would you blog about the "moment" if you powered off?
I do love this idea. It's important to slow down and take time to smell the oysters, the pulp, the Wall Drug, and AM/PM bathrooms. These parts make a trip.
Good post, I often feel like I'm missing out on stuff because of the rush. I'd love to work part-time to allow me to spend more time with the family but it boils down to finance, unfortunately.
You know, I almost posted something like this but figured I better not since I am a game designers wife and all that. But you know, I HAVE noticed my patience wearing more thin throughout the years and I think that it is due to convenience. Sometimes I wish life was like "That 70's Show"....sometimes.
i'd like to revisit those station wagon car trip days. i never thought i would during them but it's so true now!
I did this a few months back.
OK I did have my cell and my computer but only for writing and emergency purposes.
I made no calls, turned off my phone, used no internet, watched no TV.
It was just me, alone in a cabin, surrounded by the wild and a big carton of wine.
It was bliss.
everything in our lives is geared towards maximum productivity. It's stressful and I resent it. Even when you switch off for a while when you go back to join the land of the living you can feel that stress just building up over you again!
Hi, I saw your comment on m's blog and found your profilepic so hilarious that I needed to take a look over here :)
Things surely speeded up, but I feel also a deep relief knowing my daugther has a cellphone with her and can call me for a ride if she needs one or the cops if there is trouble... And for vacation... just leave the laptop at home and turn the cell of :)
So true... but can we ever go back?
Everything is getting so instantaeious. We really are missing out on so much these days by wanting things NOW. *heavy sigh*
Churlita ~ Wouldn't it be better if a natural disaster wasn't the cause?
Egan ~ I could write in on paper and then scan the paper and post it once my "moment" had passed.
Furtive ~ If I didn't have to worry about finances I definitely wouldn't be working in my current field.
Hilly ~ I love that show. I love how they all spend time hanging out and actually communicating with each other rather than just being in the same room. I invite all of my friends over for game night every month or so. It is very similar to That 70's Show but without the marijuana.
Sizzle ~ We had this old, ugly green beast of a station wagon. It blew a gasket in Utah and so we bought a brand new 1980 Chevy Citation. I missed the wagon.
Wanderlust ~ I remember you blogging about that. I want to do that very soon.
m ~ Isn't that short break that much more valuable then?
mone ~ Welcome to my blog! You can get your own M&M character at www.becomeanmm.com
ChickyBabe ~ I don't think that we can ever go back permanently but we can make a short visit every now and then.
Diva ~ I hear ya. I find that when I get things right away I don't value them as much as something that I had to work for.
I love this post, I know I always read them too late, but I never miss them! I will try to follow your advice and just be in the moment. Thank you
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