This Is How You Know

It's pretty sad when kids have to remind their own parents that they're on their smart phones way too much. I see it all the time. It's the "forty-to-sixty-somethings" that, for whatever reason, seem to be even more addicted to social media than their offspring. I'm not going to get all personal and preachy here, but I too have been guilty of not being in the moment, wasting away precious REAL face time with my family, instead of actually being present. My body is there, but my mind - somewhere far away..

An amazing phenomena happened yesterday though. I was completely caught up in the process of cooking, preparing and jumping around the kitchen like a little girl, that I totally had no recollection (or care) as to where my iPhone was. In fact, I never once thought about it. Sunday dinner. At home. With my family. Rare.

The pot roast with golden potatoes, organic carrots and a side of garlic asparagus was the feature, but it surely wasn't the focus. It was a true Sunday dinner with laughter, good conversation, barking dogs, the NFL in the background along with jazz music on the boom box. It was complete with my husband, my kids and one exceptional guest - Jeremy - that made the day worthy of no social media bragging rights. Just a day to be... present.

Take the time to detox from your phone. It's really a healing remedy. And what I pray for you most of all is: I hope it happens so naturally that you forget to make it a all about a photo shoot.

I never regret being so caught up in a sacred space that I forget to take a picture. I have a photo-graphic memory going on right now in my head and heart. And to quote Andy DuFresne (from the movie Shawshank Redemption), talking about the beauty of music without having anything to play it on. He had to go purely by memory:

"That's the beauty of music. They can't get that from you... Haven't you ever felt that way about music?"

"It's all in here.." (pointing to his head and heart)

Stay in the moment. Turn off the stuff that keeps you from being present... with the people you love most.

"It's all in here.." (pointing to My head and heart)

And if they were really "smart" phones, there'd be an app alarm that would say, "Get off it. You're with the people you love!"

This is how you'll know.

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