Here’s to a Thanksgiving spent in the moment

Here’s an idea for Thanksgiving. Put down that phone. That’s right. Put down that phone. Courtesy of David Leonhardt, New York Times columnist, comes the thought that if we travel over the river and through the woods to grandma’s house, only to spend precious family time gazing at a screen, we might as well stay home. He has a point. In his family, there is a move to put away phones not just for family holidays, but to enjoy a screen sabbatical once a week, a Tech Shabbat. The idea, he said, was popularized by filmmaker Tiffany Shlain.

Leonhardt writes that, “This week, Americans will endure flight delays, traffic jams and other logistical miseries to spend time with family and friends. And when the holiday weekend is ending, many will lament that they don’t get to spend enough time with those relatives and friends.

“But during the weekend itself, these same lamenters will spend a lot of time ignoring the people around them and distractedly staring into their phones.”

Instead, why not put away technology and interact on a personal, not technological level? He challenges people to put up their phones for a full 24 hours and makes this bold claim: “I predict you’ll be surprised by how much you’ll like it.”

Considering how many people have only cellphones, with no landline at their homes, turning off the phone completely might be difficult. How else will Aunt Sue call for directions or Dad remind his son-in-law to pick up ice along the way? Phones are not just for distraction; they are the means for people to communicate with the wider world, and in many families, the only means.

However, Leonhardt’s broader point is wise. On Thanksgiving, the holiday designed to draw family and friends around a shared table, the togetherness is reduced when people are not actually present in the moment.

We can use modern technology, enjoy the ability to catch up on news, play a game or read the latest thriller without sacrificing our personal moments with the people we love. The key is restoring balance.

Leonhardt again, talking about his family’s respite from technology: “I wasn’t sure whether I’d like it, I’ll admit, and our kids were even less sure.

“But it was wonderful. We hung out with friends, without distraction. We never had to ask, guiltily, ‘Sorry, what’d you say?’ because we had been only semi-listening. … It felt productive, rejuvenating and, yes, fun.”

Who doesn’t enjoy fun? Who doesn’t want a Thanksgiving filled with sharing, the giving of thanks and creating special memories that help bind families together through the decades? Make that happen. This Thanksgiving, put down the phone.