The school year was winding down, so I was trying to get as much done around the house as I could before I focus all my attention on summer fun. Two days before school was letting out, a friend of mine asked me if I wanted to meet for coffee after dropping the kids off at school. At first I hesitated because my task list was getting quite long. However, I figured boring chores could wait, and I knew I would have more fun with friends than my dust cloths and laundry detergent.
On the way to my coffee ‘meeting’, I realized I left my cell phone on the night stand. I felt kinda naked without my trusty cell phone as I rely on it frequently to communicate with my kiddos throughout the day. (“Mom I need this, Mom the soccer practice time changed, etc etc”.) I was tempted to drive back and get my phone, but I figured, ‘why bother? I will be home soon enough’.
So, we had a nice chat at Starbucks for awhile and then went on our way. When I got to the car, I looked at the clock and saw 2 hours had passed. I couldn’t believe it! Without my phone by my side, I had no idea what time it was. I started to worry about how I was going to get everything done and it then hit me – ‘who cares?’. There is always time to do chores, shop, whatever. It made me realize it is ok to enjoy the day and not be productive 100 percent of the time. What the deeper lesson was that if I had my phone with me, I would have been distracted by it the whole time. I would have been looking at the time and focusing on all I had to get done instead of just enjoying myself. Actually, the visit was incredibly enjoyable, and I think a lot of the reason is I was totally engaged in visiting and nothing else.
What I am going to take away from this little story is that it is so easy to get distracted with all the technology in the world that it can be hard to focus on the here and now. Whereas I cannot go without my cell phone entirely, I am going to leave it in my purse and not have it in my sight so I will not be tempted to check the time, respond to texts, etc. The future will happen no matter what, so I should enjoy the present while life unfolds around me.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Great message! My house is a testament to “chores can come later” but life is good. 🙂
BFS – I think my house is becoming too much of a testament to ‘chores can come later’… 🙂
Hmmm, I totally understand the feeling you have when you forget you cell phone! I carry mine in a holster, and I’m always reaching for it when it’s isn’t there (like it will magically reappear or something…)
I think it’s great that you met with a friend and put off the chores… friends are very important, and given the chance… why not enjoy their company as much as possible.
Money Reasons – I totally had a clear mind without my phone, isn’t that strange? It made my whole visit so much more enjoyable. Phone has stayed in the purse ever since.
Great point on being more engaged when the cell phone isn’t there. I have found the same thing when my phone battery has run out. I can actually focus, uninterrupted, on the people in my immediate presence. It actually helps facilitate a better connection with the people in front of you.
Squirreler – When I was writing that post, I was thinking back to when people used to visit at each other’s houses and have coffee and such, and there were no such distractions. (Unless a kid came running up to you bleeding or something. 🙂 )
I think a simpler life sounds so nice!