Yesterday was my last day of my arduous university education. As I walked down the aisle adorned in a black and maroon gown, I noticed something strange.
Hundreds of parents proudly staring at their accomplished children, but not with their eyes, but through their tiny pixelated camera and cellphone screens.
Through their four-inch screens, they attempt to record and capture every single moment.
We have forgotten how to record treasured moments with our hearts and eyes. Instead of experiencing new delicacies, events, concerts and treasured memories first-hand, we choose to stare into our little screens to record and photograph every moment.
Moments are once in a lifetime
Why does time seamlessly pass as we age? Because somewhere along the line we forgot to savor the current moment.
We have become so caught up in capturing and immortalizing these experiences to share with our friends and family, that we forgot to immortalize them in our hearts.
Our memories of events are distant blurs because we never really experienced them. We view our most treasured memories through LCD screens.
We forget that moments can never truly last forever unless we experience them first-hand. Through human experience, they are immortalized.
When we proudly share our feelings of the moment they are solidified in our memories.
There will never be another university graduation, first birthday party or concert, the exact same as the previous one. These little moments, the minor alterations, are what makes our memories memorable.
No amount of recapping through our cellphones and cameras will make us relive that memory.
Truly savoring the moment first-hand is the unparalleled power of human experience. Truly being able to see, hear and feel the emotion and intensity in a room is what creates true memories.
Use technology sparingly
There is a fine line between excessive use and under-use. Everything in life is a spectrum. Too much technology limits the creation of true memories, while no technology reduces the ability to share our experiences.
We shouldn’t destroy our cellphones and revert back to the Stone Age. But we also shouldn’t use technology as a placeholder for the human experience.
We understand our devices are important for contacting loved ones, scheduling, recording memories and occasionally playing Clash of Clans. But that line is severely crossed when we spend the majority of a would-be treasured event experiencing it through four-inch screens.
So before we indulge in breath-taking food, enjoy our favorite musicians, or experience once-in-a-lifetime events, let us be wary of our devices, be grateful for the moment and begin to truly appreciate all that surrounds us.
Until next time, my beautiful readers,
Be bold, be free, and love on.
2HelpfulGuys 