You know one of the greatest pleasures of my trip was catching up with acquaintances and hearing about whatever anybody wanted to share. And goodness gracious everybody has a story. Don’t worry I won’t be sharing yours.
Yet in a time when our youth and yes ‘we’ plug into our devices constantly, I wonder if we as a society are going to forget how to really talk and listen. No place is this more apparent than an airport where I-pod ear buds, laptops and cell phones are all in use.
As I was devouring a Chicago style hot dog as if I hadn’t eaten for days(somehow it always tastes better eating it in Chicago even if it's the airport), I watched the next table of 2 couples 20 something, all busy texting. They sat in complete silence… no conversation as they ate their dinners except for their messaging to people somewhere else. It’s not the first time I thought, Gee is this what we have let technology do to us? I guess the debate is on as the new diagnostics statistic manual is now even considering including ‘technology addiction.'
This technology which is supposed to make us closer becomes almost a crutch/excuse not to communicate with those sitting right next to us. And don’t get me wrong as I am as guilty as anybody else... Just imagine all the stories that we are missing.
My photo taking has started interesting conversations as I add to my collection of shoe pics/ people shots. I just ask permission and people are pleased to share the stories.
The boyfriend of the wearer of these shoes spoke of her countless shoes and how he doesn't know she walks in these.
Or the little girl who was pleased as punch that someone else admired her sparkly shoes.
She wanted me to know that her Grandma had bought them for her and that she loves anything the sparkles especially her Mom's headband. I complimented her hair color. WOW and she said do you want to take a pic she asked. Absolutely!
On this trip I had some really interesting talks with complete strangers which wouldn’t have happened had I been ‘plugged in.’I see my kids rolling their eyes as how much I resemble my Dad talking to strangers.
One such story with the big guy in the white shirt as I was sitting awaiting my museum ride. I accidentally captured him in one of my pics. I wasn't stalking him, ok?
A super friendly young man got this security job when he heard the museum was hiring but he would really like to go into law enforcement. He may end up as a fireman though as others have told him that people don’t like police officers. In the airport a teenager shared her apprehension of her first plane trip en route to military school as we stood in the security line. Or there were the people on the plane on the return trip- one who needed to talk about how she spent the last week helping clear her aging ailing folks’s home as they will soon be moved closer to family/ the woman who was returning from an Italian vacation and going back to her work at Head Start.
I feel my life is richer after these conversations and am thankful for the reminder that the world gets a little smaller with each conversation and less strangers.
Even if I am going to be super tired today after talking during the wee hours of the morning , I am so glad to be back in the End of the Rainbow Valley with a great conversationalist, my Natureman…
Indeed! Some of my best conversations have been with strangers.
ReplyDeleteThose conversations certainly add spice to life. :)
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