Don’t stay glued to your smartphones, invest time in making real conversations

What is indispensable in life? WhatsApp? Internet-enabled smartphone? Not at all. Perhaps, for a little while maybe, but there is much more to life that just constant connectivity and our lives online.

I met a schoolmate sometime ago, and he told me that he survives without social media, particularly WhatsApp, which is an integral part of the handsets we carry with us 24x7.

I was quiet for a while, unable to believe if it was for real. I wondered what had inspired him to do so. But it soon dawned on me that it is probably a good decision, which will help him maintain his sanity.

As the world is progressing fast, people are becoming intolerant, indolent, busy and are missing out on the little but important things in life that actually give meaning to it.

Family gatherings are becoming a rarity, and people are not appreciating the value of offline conversations and associations with family, friends, neighbours and people in general. Yet, expectations never die and there is a constant yearn for something more.

Traditional playgrounds for the young are vanishing faster than we realise. The time instead is being spent online playing built-in games on gadgets, and living in the virtual world. Real routines are making way for uncanny ones, and eventually children are turning into some kind of devices

that work on a set pattern of life. Social media has arguably taken over lives and our addiction to it is changing our lives so fundamentally that we often talk about it but are still unable to find a way out. Filled with emptiness, our children hope for a more fulfilling life. But as they grow up they will realise what they have missed.

The reality is that every phase of life is beautiful, and should be relished. Growing up from infancy to adulthood, each age group brings its own set of joys and memories. It is our duty to enjoy and uphold them. Social media may provide instant gratification and is pretty engaging. But that is also changing us in ways we might not like. Talking to each other is important. It can help solve problems, bring comfort. A positive open talk can relieve most people from the darkness of dilemma.

It is up to us to make every moment meaningful. Let’s choose our real families over virtual ones, and interact with them more. You’ll be surprised to see how it impacts your happiness.

Every phase of life is beautiful, and should be relished. Each age group brings joys and memories.