It’s really interesting how the day’s events can change the focus of my blog, yet it is all in sync with one of my perceptions on today’s state of affairs...
Do you remember the phrase, “Can you hear me now?” from an old cell phone commercial? The words have a different meaning to me now. When I see the level of interaction between people nowadays, I want to ask, “Can you hear me now?” Sometimes I think it needs to be shouted to be heard.
No matter how many times you try to tell yourself that you can multitask and do more than one thing at a time, you are lying to yourself! The call is getting dropped at possibly inopportune moments. You are not giving your entire attention to the task or conversation at hand. Pieces are missing, and they might be the important ones!
Living the human experience is an important one. We are here to learn and serve. There are times we need to check back in with our soul to make sure we are fully aligned with our purpose and are healing anything that needs to be healed. However, stop trying to escape the human experience!
Last night I was reading one of my blog posts to my husband. I was reading pretty fast because some of the post includes lists. What are on the lists aren’t really as important as the context of the entire post. When I was about ¾ of the way done reading to him, he stuck his phone out for me to read something on HIS phone! I then realized that he had been trying to multitask and was not giving me his full attention for sharing my writing piece.
That made me feel like my efforts were not valuable enough to pay attention to. I’m still at a space where my writing is important to me and some validation from trusted sources is going to continue boosting my confidence to keep at it. Having my partner who normally listens to my reading with absolute curiosity and interest, not really paying attention, hurt my feelings a bit.
Recently we went to see a local band play. It was early in their night and there weren’t many people in attendance yet. I enjoyed listening to the music and watching each member with their skills of drumming, playing guitar, playing bass, singing, and their facial expressions and body movements. (I’m a people watcher.) Some of the people in attendance were sitting on their phones looking at Facebook! How could they fully enjoy the experience while sitting on their phones? Honestly, my sarcastic voice inside my head thought that they might as well put in headphones at home and continue on with their social media, for the amount of attention they were giving the performers.
Today my husband and I went to the grocery store to return bottles. Upon entering the return area, I said, “hi” to the employee and he just gave me a blank stare. Since we don’t have to do this task very often, it took me a little while to assess the situation of where the correct machines were that we needed to use. One of them was open and out of service for the moment. The other ones were on the opposite side of the store employee. So, we walked out the front doors and came back in the side. Upon entering the side door, one of the other customers informed us that the plastics machines were full and the store employee was working on getting that fixed. – Ok! Why couldn’t the employee have told us that in the first place? Instead, he continued slowly emptying one of the machines for cans and going at a massively pokey pace. So, my husband and I decided to go to a different store in town. As we were walking towards the car, I looked back towards the store and saw the employee tying a garbage bag slower than anyone I’ve ever seen in my entire life! Ugh! What is wrong with customer service?
Upon arriving at the alternate location, my husband commented snarkily that we were probably going to be dealing with the same type of situation. I told him that at least this employee would talk to people because I had recognized him from other trips to that store in the past. He did respond to my question of how his day was when we entered, but when my husband told him to have a great day when we left … crickets.
What has happened to our society that we cannot or will not give our attention to one another? I absolutely adore my relationships with those whom I have never met in person, yet have built a strong support system with through social media. However, when it comes time to give my attention, I’m hoping that I am giving my all. – I know there are times that I am not, but at least I recognize it and ask for a replay of what I’ve missed and apologize for not being fully present. I try not to fall into the trap of being consumed with more than what is right in front of me all the time.
So, to those people who feel I have not given you my attention and not heard what you had to say, I’m deeply sorry.
To those people who are oblivious to the current state of affairs because their noses are buried in their phones or they are just stuck in their own heads … Please wake up! There are so many people that can benefit from your ability to hear them now!
*Voice Pen Purpose Blog Challenge: Day 6
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