iPhailed

Computer technology is such a wonderful necessary evil.  For instance, today I watched Daughter Two play volleyball...from 300 miles away.  Daughter One FaceTimed me via her phone to my laptop, giving Grandpa and Grandma and I the chance to see a game we had zero chance to attend.  The wealth of information available at the click of a button is staggering.  The options for communication seem endless.  The ease at which we can make instant world-wide connections is like something out a science fiction movie.  Indeed, much of what was science fiction less than a generation ago is commonplace today in regards to technology.

But there's the dark side of the tech moon, too.  The addiction to devices.  The rapid rise of isolation and loneliness felt by so many in this "social, connected" world.  The sedentary lifestyle that silently takes the place of normal physical activity.  The rewiring of brains, that science is only starting to understand.  And, absolutely missing so much of what life has to offer, what the world presents to each of you, because you can't ever look away from the screen you carry at all times.

I purposely used "you" in the previous sentence because I have not fallen into the category of device carrier.  My life's quest has been simple - to be the last human on the planet who did not own a smart mobile cellular phone device thingy.  I will now pause to let that sink in for those of you who find this to be news....trust me, I'm quite familiar with the look on your face.  Recovered from the shock, have you?  Yes, that's right - I have resisted all attempts to become one of the faceless many (You know who you are, all ye who can't look up from your little screens thus letting the world see only the top of your heads.  You're thin up there, by the way.) and have survived quite nicely without any kind of mobile phone.

But my quest has ended.

I am now the stunned and reluctant owner of my very own iPhone 8.

Once again I am pausing, for those readers who know me best have been smitten to their knees in shock.
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I'm telling you, this is huge news in my little social circle.
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Ok, I'm tired of waiting for them.  Long story short:  It's my sister's fault.  And because of her generosity I now have a new quest for the remainder of my days - to avoid falling into the technology trap that has sucked so many of you in.  Along with keeping my phone number as guarded as the Roswell secrets of '47.

I'll admit it - it was time.  Probably past time.  I truly have survived very well without a phone, but in the last year or so I've more and more noticed myself thinking "If I had a phone right now I could...."  And now I can.  Already I've seen some benefits - I was able to drive away from my folks' today without my mother lecturing me about how much safer I'd be with a phone.  When I stopped to gas up I could quickly check in with my daughters about the volleyball games.  And when I got home to a patio full of ripe strawberries I could take this picture and Tweet about it without having to use a camera and then download and then email.

So once again, yes I've never owned a phone and yes I now do own a phone - you've not been dreaming any of this.  All the looks of astonishment on others' faces at the former will be replaced by the same looks upon learning the latter, I suppose.  I intend to be disciplined enough with my phone so as not to let life pass me by while staring at the dang thing, and I hope that if you and I cross paths we'll be able to see more than each other's bald spot.  And with that, I leave you now....my phone is buzzing.