Urban Thought Collective

My laptop computer crashed a couple of days ago. Doesn’t sound like a tragedy, but I felt as if I was on Gilligan’s island stranded and disconnected from the rest of the world. I woke up in the morning and attempted to turn on the computer like any other morning. To my surprise, my computer had decided that it would flip out and turn itself on and off. Then it tricked me into believing that it would start working right again and my fear subsided while my face lit up like an 8 year old on Christmas. There was just one small problem, all of my documents were being held hostage inside my computer because I couldn’t find any of them. So, when I decided that I was okay with that, but was happy that it was working, the screen turned a pretty blue and these diagonal lines appeared and it was officially over. My laptop was dead.

Truth be told… The more technology we use the more we feel like we need it if we don’t have it. We could probably all stand to use technology a little less.

While I was feeling my disconnection from the rest of the world, I realized how much I depended on my laptop and other things like my cellular phone, tivo, navigation and even my car.

I don’t leave the house without my cell phone. I will even run late to turn back to get my cell phone even if that means burning rubber to get to an appointment. I also don’t remember the last time I walked somewhere instead of driving, even if it was just down the street and around the corner. (With gas prices what they are it might not be a bad idea to take a walk.) The other day while listening to the radio, I thought for a second that I wanted to rewind because I didn’t hear what the radio personality had said. I am so addicted to Tivo now that I am attempting to rewind the radio when it’s not even possible.

I remember a time of no cell phones. We actually talked to people when we saw them, or occasionally called from the house phone. We use to catch shows when they came on with everyone else. We got directions from people and we walked places sometimes. We didn’t use our computers to e-mail because we actually had contact with people or heaven forbid we wrote a letter. Oh, how archaic.

I have decided that something good can come out of this computer crash. Maybe I can do the unthinkable. Write a letter to someone I love, turn off my cell phone and leave it at home while I walk instead of drive to the post office to put it in the mailbox.

I say let’s all attempt to use technology less and see what happens. Who’s with me?

Remember it’s always love.

ReNina Minter is a former elementary school teacher who followed her passion and earned a Masters in Clinical Psychology. Minter is now a Certified Life Coach. Check out her website at www.CoachReNina.com. Her editorials are exclusive to Urban Thought Collective.