Real Face Time

Do you ever think about the quality of connection you have with your friends through facebook or technology?  It is something I think about often as it is such a presence in our life.  We spend hours a day on Technology and it is something I hope we are all critically assessing.  

I believe technology is an outstanding “TOOL”.  Here I am ticking away a blog entry that hundreds will be able to read in minutes, Beautiful!  I often wonder however if the tool is becoming a substitute for real interpersonal, intimate connection with the ones close to us.  My thoughts and questions on this topic were magnified a thousand fold when I witnessed two older Nepali Gentleman boarding the flight from Korea to Kathmandu Nepal.

The plane was on hold for a single passenger who was running late.  Ten minutes after we were supposed to take off an older Nepali gentleman enters the plane calmly, where most of us would have been rushing with embarrassment.  I watched as he calmly walked down my isle.  I see a hand reach out to his elbow from someone sitting in the isle seat 3 rows in front of me.  The late Nepali man stops with a startle and looks down.  A big smile creases every space on his 70 year old face.  A warm Namaste flows from his heart!  I can see they are now clasping hands, old friends who may have not seen each other in years.  They begin a conversation.

Now remember everyone in the plane is probably eager to take off, we are ten minutes behind schedule, 300 people waiting.

The old friends talk as if they were sitting in their home perched in a terraced rice field in the foothill of the Himalaya.  The flight attendant comes and waives him on but he does not budge, he smiles gently acknowledging the flight attendant,  the conversation continues.

I look around the plane.  People on there games, phones, computers.  One looks from screen to the engaged old friends with a scorn.  Like a drug being administered he forgets as he melts into his computer game.

The old friends laugh as if they were telling old fishing stories, or talking about the last crop of potatoes, often grown in the terraced hills of Nepal.  The steward prods the gentleman again.  They smile, still are shaking hands, laugh and connect.  They must have talked for 5 more minutes.  Another flight attendant comes down the isle.  She says something polite.  The friend standing smiles at her and turns back to his sitting friend.  They continue with, Hows family?  How is your brother?  Did you finish your roof?  Their friendship true, in no hurry, face to face.

At first I was upset.  Here we are 300 people waiting for 10 minutes and now another 5 while this conversation happens.  Then something hit me, a sudden transformation or realization.  As I looked back to the man buried in his game I realized I was witnessing something that may be fading in the human race.  These 2 Nepali’s were exhibiting that which is inherent in remaining a kind and awakened species.  Something that we as humans should never lose.  The ability to sit face to face, talk, connect, look eye to eye.  It is real face time and there is no substitute.  Like a drug being administered, technology may be dulling our abilities to sit face to face or even recognize that this beautiful gift may be fading.  Pay attention, the world is not in your computer.  

Suggested reading.  If you are a parent a book called "Last Child in the Woods".  Adults,  "The Shallows".