I recently spent a week without my cell phone. It was unintentional; I had not missed it until our son texted from the airport, “finding” me at home. When indeed we were on our way up North.
It seemed strange to me I had left it and was unaware that I had. Then the worry set in…I needed to let my family know I was separated from the lifeline, which kept our physical distance not so far.
I could tell them on my husband’s phone or email from my computer. It was not a detox from screens, but being without my phone made a difference.
The convenience of a cell phone keeps social media finger scrolls away, and I rarely look at my laptop for updates. Then again, I had no phone to take pictures and update my Instagram.
I wore my analog wristwatch to check the time instead of checking my phone.
I was not distracted by the soft buzz or lit screen to check the importance of a text, often an ad or spam from a stranger offering me a job.
I did miss the smiling face of a grandchild with missing front teeth, a sister’s update on her day, or a close friend letting me know she was thinking about me. The opposite was true when someone I love was a thought away; I could not readily let them know.
Interestingly, our communication with others is so instant that I forget to take the time to write a letter to pass along my sentiment, which they will not receive for a few days or a week, depending on where they live. There is something extraordinary about going to the mailbox and receiving an envelope with familiar handwriting addressed to me.
The lack of my phone also meant I was not tempted to “google” or “scroll” an unimportant fact or information, which I did not need to know at that exact moment. My husband and I could have a meaningful conversation about what birds were at the feeders and the “fly-in” activity out our window.
Honestly, I had some anxious thoughts about a call or text I missed regarding my studio work; when I picked up my phone again after a week’s absence, there were no missed calls, only a text from a stranger: “Hello, I am still interested in buying your house,” which is not for sale.
When I texted my sisters’ group to let them know I had my phone back, they said, “We missed you,” our text continued between the four of us as if we had not missed a day.
How long have you been without your phone, and how have you experienced its absence? I would enjoy reading your thoughts; please leave your comments below.
