The Train Ride Of Our Lives Begins Now.
Its finally time for us to go to places we have never been before.
Before I get started. This isn’t me actually going on a real train ride. This is a literal one. one where I will try to make it seem real as much as possible. So, with that being said, lets get down to it.
As I’m climbing on board for my first train ride in years, one thing I noticed was that almost everyone was looking down. Looking down at their phones.
Almost all slavery has ended, officially it has. but in some places, people are still slaves.
There are a reported 50 million slaves out there today. Why governments don’t do anything for those people, is a worrying thought.
Back to those people and their “wonderful phones”.
One thing we don’t realize is that we are very much a slave to our phones, we just haven’t quite realized that as yet. we aren’t forced to be slaves like those 50 million. we choose to be.
I mean we are literally going to be sitting here for hours, and instead of lifting up our heads to see what’s happening around us. We look at a phone that can never talk back to you, never have conversation with you.
We have lost the art of talking to each other. we love shouting at each other. But talking, getting to know one another, is something that feels wrong in some way.
We socialize with our small group of friends and sometimes even smaller group of family. a part from that we don’t put in more effort into meeting new people.
Parents these days, allow their kids as young as two to be on a phone for hours on end?. Kids don’t even know what it means to actually go outside and just play.
I remember growing up, the only time that we would go inside the house after school was when my mom said its time to come and eat, dinners ready. and even then we still tried our luck to play a bit longer.
I had a video call from a family member from Canada the other day, and instead of answering it I let it ring until the call ended.
Why did I do that?
Was it because it was interrupting my movie?
Or was it because I knew it would be an awkward conversation, talking to someone I never met before?.
We spend so much time looking at our phone, that we haven’t even taken a look to see what is surrounding us.
If you had only looked up, you would have noticed just how beautiful they have done the interior. the seats are made out of light blue leather, there is a small wooden table, just big enough for four people to sit at. The tablecloth is made of silk, with a more darker blue color than what the seat has.
You would have noticed a newly wed couple in the corner, who cant keep their hands off each other.
Onto your right a man in his twenties who has a worried look on his face, as if he has lost something.
Us you turn to your left you would see a very beautiful women dressed in a grey and black top, with a short black mini skirt.
An old man who is trying to put his suitcase on the top shelf, with not much success.
Music is playing over the radio; waitresses are walking up and down bringing everyone their drinks before we take off.
A man in his mid forties reading the newspaper.
A mom trying to get her two young boys to sit still.
If you would only put your phone away, you would see birds sitting on top of the electrical lines singing as loud as they can.
If you had just looked up.
You could have asked the old man to sit with you, asked him if he came alone, where he is going. or just offered to help him put his bag away.
You could easily have gone up to that young man with a worried look on his face and asked him if everything is alright.
The young couple, well, a simple congratulations would be just fine
Point is, we need to start paying more attention to what is happening around us. The less attention we give to our phones the better it will be for all of us. It would make the train ride so much better if we spent the time getting to know a total stranger.
If you had just looked up and smiled at me, that would have been just what I needed to get through the day.
I am not innocent in this, I to may have just carried on and not helped that old man. or talked to that beautiful lady in the black mini skirt. I mean take a look at her below.
Who knows, she could have been single and the two of you could have fallen in love.
What’s the worst thing that can happen in that type of situation anyway. you get turned down? so what.
Our phones are a distraction most of the time, I get that we all feel alone at times and the only thing that can help us, is that dam phone.
But sometimes all we needed to do was to talk to the person sitting next to us.
This year is probably going to be a very long one. and what will help us get through it, is clearly not our phones.
Talking to actual human beings will.
JP- I like this topic and reflection. This particular sentence stood out to me: "Talking to actual human beings will." Yes, it definitely will. A great reminder.
Oh the lost art of noticing! Thank you for writing about this. We are all collectively missing so much by staring into our shiny phones.
I love how you walked the reader through all the different interactions that could have been sparked if only….
I’m also an introvert but I am known to chat and talk with strangers (to my kids’ chagrin!). It’s bigger crowds and social settings that exhaust/overwhelm me. Striking up human to human conversation is a lost art. And it breaks my heart.
As a kid, I was outside ALL DAY. I was told don’t come home until the street lights are on. Then be home for dinner. All of us around the table. Together. With no screens.
Imagine that! 🤯