I left the house recently without my phone. I panicked.
“Should I go back and get it? Will I be able to do what I need to do without my phone? Will life as I know it cease to exist?”
I decided that not to go back home, and to trust that my life would be OK. What resulted was a great experience. Although, an inability to contact my elderly relatives affected me in a really bad way. Within hours of starting this experiment, I was trying to view more cellphones online that I could give to my elderly relatives that don’t control our lives in the all encompassing way that many phones of today do.

The BustI actually looked at it and noticed my surroundings, instead of being oblivious to them. Instead of taking a picture of the sign in the subway station, I actually noticed the tiles and the colors and the detail of the tile work. Looking at how long I had to wait for the next subway, it said 4 minutes. Without my usual ability to play a few games of Candy Crush I actually experienced the passage of time. 4 minutes felt like 4 minutes, and not a blur of dulled senses in which I am annoyed to have to interrupt the sliding of colors to board a subway car.

Apple Silver iPhone 6 Plus showing the home screen with iOS 8.I noticed the clothes people were wearing, in fact I just noticed people in general. I overheard their conversations because my senses were actually engaged. I was treated to this snippet passing 3 women, “….well that just proves that you can have sex with a nice guy.” Just to think I would’ve missed that conversation entirely if I were looking at my cell phone. For phone repair, I check out Pro Phone Repairs of Albuquerquephone repair albuquerque

samsungThis blog post is actually being written from my memory because I actually used brain cells while I was without my phone. Instead of typing notes into my phone to type later I am typing completely from memory, shocker!

I noticed the angle of the sun on the buildings and saw people dressed in beautiful big feather costumes and colors. I didn’t take a photo of any of them of course because I didn’t have my phone with me. So, I have no concrete proof of what I saw, and now it’s a moment that only I get to cherish, somehow a delightful secret. And because I didn’t have my phone and I didn’t take a picture I was actually inspired to go ask people why they were dressed in such colorful, fun costumes. I learned there was a parade to celebrate Hispanic culture. Wow I actually spoke to someone instead of just witnessing from afar and taking a photo.

The power of true communication and experience is felt most strongly when we are engaged, live, with what’s right in front of us. No cell phones, no technology. Just be where you are.

So I challenge you to take an afternoon or an entire day without your cell phone. See what parts of the world and time you’re missing out on and try to experience it instead of dulling it out.

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