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Love the One You're With
It’s hard to remember life before cell phones. When we were together, we were to gather with each other. Families looked at each other across the dinner table and talked to one another. Riding in a car with friends meant talking to each other and if you didn’t know or remember something, you asked a real person, or looked it up on Encyclopedia Britannica, which engaged your brain, and you didn’t go straight to Google, without engaging the brain.
Like the frog boiling in hot water slowly, not noticing the water getting hotter, we have taken to the lonely-hearts club without warning. Yes, numerous reports and surveys suggest people are experiencing higher levels of loneliness than ever, often described as the loneliness epidemic. Contributing factors include societal individualism, the changing nature of work, and a shift towards more digital and superficial connections.
From a Health article, America has a loneliness epidemic. Here are 6 steps to address it, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy told All Things Considered:
In response to the loneliness epidemic, the advisory outlines the framework for a new national strategy. It is based on six foundational pillars, which are:
1.Strengthening social infrastructure, which include parks and libraries as well as public programs.
2.Enacting pro-connection public policies at every level of government, including things like accessible public transportation or paid family leave.
3.Mobilizing the health sector to address the medical needs that stem from loneliness.
4.Reforming digital environments to "critically evaluate our relationship with technology."
5.Deepening our knowledge through more robust research into the issue.
6.Cultivating a culture of connection.
I personally like number 1 and number 6. Parks and libraries and cultivating a culture of connection, almost certainly with less use of cell phones.
In case we need help to pry away from our phones, here are some extra pillars.
Amazon offers a variety of signs and labels for businesses and services and perhaps in our homes to inform the users: No Cell Phone Use Please; Please Silence your Cell Phone; Be Courteous- no cell phone use during your appointment; If you answer your cell phone during your medical appointment, the doctor will be happy to leave the room and we will be happy to reschedule your appointment' and my favorite, God may be calling YOU but probably not on your cell phone. Please turn off your cell phone during our service.
I also found several books on cell phone etiquette: Cell Phone Etiquette by Michelle Cimino, Electronic Etiquette, Cell Phones, Netiquette, Social Media Oh My by Rebecca Black, Mobile Madness, and A Guide to Mobil Phone Etiquette by Mark Lynch. I cannot recommend any of these books since I have not read them.
While Stephanie was in my chair for her hair appointment, her cell phone hummed. Instantly, I asked if she needed to answer. Most clients do. “No, she answered, love the one you’re with!” I asked her again, “Do you mean, I’m the one you’re with and I get your love and attention?” “Yep! Love the one you’re with,” she replied.
For those who have been around since the 1970’s Stephen Stills made the song "Love the One You’re With" popular. I loved it! It still has the same meaning for us. Stephanie said I could use her comment for my next Snippets and reference her name so here it is! It’s worth mentioning as we are at the beginning of a new year and all resolutions are on the table to consider.
Happy New Year!!!!
With love,
Hilda
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