“At times the whole world seems to be in conspiracy to importune you with emphatic trifles. Friend, client, child, sickness, fear, want, charity, all knock at once at thy closet door and say,—’Come out unto us.’ But keep thy state; come not into their confusion. The power men possess to annoy me I give them by a weak curiosity. No man can come near me but through my act.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

This morning and while waiting for my appointment I watched a young child, no more than three years-old scream in distress and for his mother. He wanted only a single moment of comfort—offered by way of a soothing hug, or a voice of understanding.

Instead this mother…and without ever looking up…handed the young boy her phone. She was far too distracted by the busy-ness of her day, and held hostage by the schedules in her head—that she had mistaken that silly phone for love.

My heart ached as I watched the young boy reaching out for the arms of his mom.

And yet, we have the audacity to wonder what on earth is going on…

In our schools…

In our homes…

And throughout our world.

We believe we are merely offering a quickie distraction—but in the end, aren’t we ultimately dulling their young hearts? Stealing away their innocence and curiosity, and replacing compassion with a computer chip?

That’s not the way to a better life now, is it? As parents, we must begin to teach our children well—to show them that life is that which surrounds them, each day…and not that which can be stored inside the constructs of a phone.

And how are we ever to become ‘one human family’ when the humanness of family is so obviously broken?

The time for change is now—isn’t it? Perhaps, the very first step is to begin making eye contact with our kids.

Just my two humble cents on this crisp fall morning…because, I’m quite certain humanity doesn’t have a computer chip.

Namaste, my dears….and always remember, the greatest of change comes from within.

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Ed: Bryonie Wise