Plug in and disconnect.

So we get back from our trip up north emotionally exhausted. It was good to see all of my family, my mom, my grandparents and cousins. My brother seemed to be doing quite well and for that I’m thankful. Upon our return, I hit the ground running so by Wednesday I was feeling a little drained. My husband called me and told me to meet him at the house that we were going to spend the rest of the day recharging on a bike ride. (Only a very small reason why I love him so much)

We headed to the boardwalk and kept on riding. We found ourselves downtown where we got to check out some more street art. (I’m always so amazed with how much talent there is in the world) As we ride, we are talking about the phenomenon where everyone is so plugged in and yet so very disconnected.

The access we all have to information, social outlets, google and Instagram might be the very reason we have such a tough time connecting with one another. I got to thinking how I put my phone down when we arrived to my home town and never picked it back up until four days later when we returned home. The feeling of freedom, liberation, connection to the people around us was a welcomed change. I’ve decided that staying unplugged from my phone has allowed me to plug into my life in a more authentic way. Tv, social media, and being constantly accessible might as well be another form of pharmaceuticals for all of it promotes us sleep walking through life.

I know we all like to take a lazy day here and there, binge watching Stranger Things on Netflix while losing an entire day to hiding in melancholy and guilt. But at what cost? What are we missing while our heads are veiled by medications, eyes buried in the sands of Instagrams and Kardashian’s and minds occupied by followers rather than friends? Is human connection on the brink of extinction?

Our ability to communicate with one another is what separates us from other species. We are able to genuinely empathize with people around us which creates a lot of room for us to bond and connect. These connections that we sew through life add immeasurable amounts of value to our spirits, to our beings. Forever growing, evolving and becoming the most pure version of ourselves should be the goal. I don’t know that our current culture of instant gratification supports such blossoming.

The days of friends hanging out looking like this are over. Vitamin D has morphed into a supplement that is swallowed, connections have become reliant on 4G and our collective children are going to replace all of us with robots that seduce us with connection only to keep us disconnected from all that is real.

As my husband and I approach the end of our bike ride, we stop to catch the days magnificent sunset. To the west we see yet another beautifully orchestrated day come to an end and to the south are beach birds enjoying the show with us.

Thanks for reading! Pura Vida ✌️