gary turk

Look Up

I saw an awesome video last night, as my husband and I lay, side by side in bed, looking at our phones. It’s the norm for us. To wind down at the end of the night, sometimes reading a book, but mostly catching up on social media. What is ‘catching up on social media’ anyways? ‘Social media’ is utterly endless. We could literally spend our whole lives only reading social media sites. Today, I chose not to. I am stepping away from my phone and Looking Up. Since I am a blogger, I will still be in the know, but I will reserve my social media and blogging time to my computer only. I’ve deleted all social media apps, other than Instagram, in order to keep myself from looking at my phone while I’m bored. I left Instagram because it inspires me to get out and see the world. Take photos. Be a living person.

Look Up

I noticed myself looking at my phone while I waited for a bottle to warm, feeding my baby, as a distraction from writing, sitting down to dinner with my husband and even when out, surrounded by friends. Unacceptable. It is the norm for so many people and I encourage, if this is you, to step away and look up. Try it for one week and see what you’ve been missing. You’re unlikely to go back.

This is the video that I saw last night, that really hammered this common sense into my head. It’s called Look Up by Gary Turk. If you haven’t seen it, please give yourself a break and listen to his words.

The part that made me tear up was in reference to my daughter. I don’t want to miss out on any single chance to participate in her life because of my phone. I want her to have the same attention and outdoor playing that I had growing up. That’s not to say we’re going to exclude her or us from all technology but there’s a time and place to be plugged in.

 

‘We’re surrounded by children who, since they were born, have watched us living like robots, think it’s the norm.
It’s not very likely, you’ll make ‘World’s Greatest Dad’, if you can’t entertain a child without using an iPad.
When I was a child, I’d never be home. I’d be out with my friends, on our bikes we would roam. I’d wear holes in my trainers, and graze up my knees, building a clubhouse high in the trees.
Now the park’s so quiet, it gives me a chill.
I see no children outside and the swing’s hanging still.
There’s no skipping and hopscotch, no church and no steeple, we’re a generation of idiots, smart phones and dumb people.’
Thoughts?
Shelly
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