Sunday evenings i usually go for a stroll around the block. Its been a habit for a long long time. It helps because i laze around so much on a Sunday that it helps me loosen up and besides also since i'm in a trance all day, it helps me observe the rush and the crowd around me with a persepective!
This also used to be an occasion when i would often bump into a childhood friend or too...friends who stay around the block but we never cross paths due to our 'supposedly busy lives'...these also are the same friends with whom i would play cricket for hours, everyday of the week. We would play...fight...part ways and then meet again the next day...same time...same place!
However i ran into a friend of mine last evening...we were seperated by a 5 feet wide road in between us but we could not cross over, forget about exchanging a hug...we could not even say a 'Hey' to each other...the wave too was a clumsy one handed effort...FOR WE WERE BOTH TALKING ON OUR RESPECTIVE CELL PHONES!!
In a moment that it took for both of us to cross each other we attempted to say a lot..."Hey how are you?, Long time no see!, Whats Happening?, Hows everything?...Lets catch up!" and all of this happened through the one hand wave and an awkward smile!!
I looked around then and realised a very important evolution of mankind happening around me!! For we would initially walk on four legs and had a tail...then through varuous stages we found ourselves walking on two legs with hands that swung along as we walked...and NOW we have only one hand that swings while the other is glued to the ear!!
Most of the people who were walking alone were either talking on phone or fidgeting with their cell phones. The stillness of the mind that is required to enjoy a walk has deserted us. We need some activity at all times and our cell phone stands by us as our most trusted companion!
This restlessness reflects in various other areas too like we cannot enjoy a film that has a slow song with slow visuals, we cannot wait for our destiny to give us the results, we believe in pushing harder in getting them or get impatient and upset if we dont get our due IMMIDEATELY!
They say if you dont change certain habbits on time they turn to addictions...and cell phone is one such example...usefull as it may be...try leaving it at home some day and you'll realise that far from doing other secondary activities, as a human being you wont even be able to WALK... WITHOUT THE TALK!
2 comments:
I suppose it has become a kind of addiction. But there are simple solutions I have found. When I am home, I simply keep my phone on voicemail when I am at home or don't want to receive calls. It's actually not so bad here because people don't usually call your cellphone unless its absolutely necessary. Email or text message is the preferred method of non-critical communication.
It sounds so simple what you say and i know it is...I'm talking about some very minimal ethics or manners of cell phone use but believe me when i say that voicemail or sms is considered to be offensive to some people back home!!! People at times feel bad that you sms's them(Call kyon nahi kiya?) even if the communication has to be one sided. The same goes for when you politely say, "I'll call you back" or for that matter people do listen to the entire voicemail recording(which becomes a call!) but dont leave a message! phew!
Post a Comment