Discover Real Togetherness
Picture this…
A family at a restaurant is out to eat and enjoy and somebody or the other is checking their phone for text messages or emails, every few minutes.
At a get-together with friends, people look at their phone’s screen more often than their friend’s face.
You are stuck behind someone on a road who is driving at the speed of 40 kmph What’s your first thought? That guy needs to get off his phone!
You could meet your friend for a coffee date, instead you catch up on whatsapp for an hour.
Sounds familiar?
Ok, here’s a question. Can you list the names of your 10 neighbours and all those in their families? Tough question? If not 10, can you list the details of 5 neighbours? I am sure, it would be still difficult to answer!
Technology though connects us with anybody and everybody but is disconnecting us from the world around us. Instead of spending time in person with family and friends, we just call or text them. It may seem simpler and convenient, but we ultimately end up interacting with our family and friends face to face a lot less. 10 texts can never match the fun and joy of meeting a friend over lunch. And all the smileys and emoticons can be cute, but they could never replace the ear-splitting grin and smiling eyes of one of our best friends. It’s like the Real Togetherness is missing from our lives. Don’t you agree?
Here are a few ideas and strategies that can disconnect us from our Smartphone/gadget addiction and reconnect us with our family, family and neighbours in the apartment complex so that we can enjoy Real Togetherness with them.
- Play games. Play badminton, volleyball, tennis, frisbee, or table tennis.
- Go jogging or take a walk together.
- Have a cookout. Cook a dinner together on the terrace or garden.
- Visit all of the nearby tourist sights we have never bothered to check out.
- Go for a picnic to a nearby resort.
- Go grocery shopping together.
- Invite some friends over and bake cakes and cookies together.
- Tour something: a factory, bakery, dairy, or a garage.
- Organize a flash mob dance in the apartment complex.
- Go bowling with friends.
- Visit a farmer’s market.
- Take a class on something you are good at… quilling, baking, photography, blogging…
- Organize a bake sale in the neighbourhood.
- Prepare a meal for a couple with a new baby.
- Make cards with children for Diwali and send to all in the neighbourhood.
- Take a group of children on a field trip.
- Pack some food and distribute them to homeless people.
- Take a bicycle trip around the city.
- Go to the zoo or an amusement park, a museum or a planetarium.
- On a weekend, get out the gardening tools and find someone who could use some free yard work. Everyone can pitch in and help.
- String popcorn and place on trees for the birds. And watch them eat from far. Click lots of pictures.
- Have a bonfire outdoors, cook, eat and sing together.
- Visit some elderly people and spend time with them.
- Visit a farm. Milk a cow/goat, help to feed the animals. Or clean around.
- Organize a film festival and watch some classics together with family and friends.
Sometimes, reaching out and taking someone’s hand is the beginning of a journey. So, let’s get started on this journey where we discover and share Real Togetherness with family and friends.
October 21, 2015 12:03 pm|
Completely agree Shilpa. We’re too much into ourselves these days. You got me thinking but I did manage to list ten neighbours. Yay! I have to admit though that is only because of the kids – your kids and my kids play together so we become friends – that kind of thing. Before I had the twins I barely knew my next door neighbour.
October 21, 2015 1:04 pm|
Yep. I know more than ten neighbours thanks to the apartment complex I stay in 🙂 We are a vibrant community plus I have started limiting my use of the smartphone drastically now. I don’t think being an introvert or extrovert has anything to do with it. Togetherness can be nurtured if we make the effort 🙂
October 21, 2015 6:14 pm|
the emoticons can never replace the feeling of touch and listening to the laughter of friends and family. Loved the points. Since we don’t have many friends here, the two of us spend a lot of time travelling and indulging in hobbies that we both like 🙂
October 21, 2015 10:14 pm|
A very beautiful and thoughtful post Shilpa!
October 22, 2015 7:44 am|
It is sad how disconnected everyone has become due to technology. Kind of nice when we can interact in real life face to face.
October 22, 2015 8:00 am|
I did know more than 10 neighbors when I was in India, but here in the States, for all I know, there could be an alien living next door to me. Sigh.
October 22, 2015 1:47 pm|
Bang on…cannot agree with you more on this!
October 22, 2015 8:53 pm|
I liked my next door neighbours rule , when they all go out as family they make sure only one of them carries a phone rest are left behind ..
and then on sundays they all go for a Dance lesson .. do one activitiy a week together all of them .. I liked that
Bikram’s
October 23, 2015 1:47 pm|
Great post shilpa ! agree with you, luckily for me, my neighbours are my extended family and I count on them for so many things.. and vice versa.. actually its a blessing to have good neighbours to live peacefully and I am truly blessed. I refuse to carry the cell phone to church, walks, parks … still I find my daughter busy playing games with hers and my husband’s phone is always on… agree with you on a lot of suggestions you have given.. some of them I do practice.. but still there’s a lot more i can do.. thanks for sharing.. enjoyed reading and also made me reflect..
October 23, 2015 6:02 pm|
Shilpa, this is a wonderful post. This is the scene in our house. I am trying to dissuade everyone. I hope to succeed. Keeping my fingers crossed.
October 25, 2015 7:42 pm|
I have grown up living in a close knit colony, playing basketball, badminton, football with friends. We used to put up skits, dance shows and annual sport matches….this post reminded me of those days! When I go back to my colony now, I am saddened to see kids and teenagers sitting around with a phone in their hands these days! Need for a change, they need to experience #RealTogetherness
October 26, 2015 2:36 am|
Excellent post.