Our cell phones are like an adult binky to us. We freak out when we can’t find the phone, can’t find network connectivity in it and when all the signal bars draw a blank. So basically, we are dismayed without a smart phone with proper network connectivity and 4G network. An all too familiar story as we have come to accept this as the only means of staying connected in today’s world. Well, we are not alone – here’s one such experience of mine.
Few months ago, I went for a trek in Himalayas. It was a week-long trek and there were other trekkers who joined the trek from all over the world. As it happens in most of the Himalayan treks there was no cell phone connectivity throughout the trek and hence my cell phone was merely used as a camera and a torch. At first I felt saudade , I felt miserable as I was not sure what to do with the blank space which was created as a result of not using my social media apps like Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp etc. which I used to do like almost every 15 minutes. Initially it was difficult to cope up with the feeling of being disconnected with rest of the world and my phone not throwing call or message alert.
Gradually, in a day and half I started to enjoy the emptiness that got created as a result of no connectivity. I started getting comfortable with this feeling of being disconnect and then there came a point when this became my new normal. I was more than happy in that very moment and loved this feeling of emptiness and disconnect. There was no feeling of missing something or someone, no longing for phone calls or messages. I was pretty much satisfied with what was then and there in the moment.
For the first time in my life I experienced how beautiful it was to pay attention to your own feeling, to observe my own thoughts, to be with my own self and witness what goes in my mind and heart. This lost network connectivity truly helped me build better connect with my own soul.
My key takeaway from this experience has been the need for us all to take time off from being slaves to our phones and the so-called definition of staying “connected”. It is vitally important for each of us to experience ways to stay connected with oneself; whether it is a self-imposed exile from our devices OR circumstantial as was in my case.
I would be very keen to know if you resonate with this and your ideas of similar such connectivity through disconnections!!!
— The Millennial