Try to look beyond the smileys.

     Last week, I had this huge party at my uncle’s place, on occasion of his 50th birthday. All the family, friends and close acquaintances, were invited. I usually don’t like attending such parties, but still, for the family's sake, I do. In retrospect, I’m glad I went to this one. It was nevertheless a boring party, but I learnt a real life lesson over there.

    

     I formally met a bunch of people whom, I guess, I only meet on such occasions. And then, as usual, acquired a silent corner took out my cellphone and got busy chatting.

     

     An hour went by just like that, and that’s when an old man came to me. Noticing me completely engrossed in randomly typing things on my mobile screen. He said, “What you young people really have so much to discuss about?”

    I didn’t have an answer to that question. “It’s about studies Uncle” I lied.

“It clearly isn’t about studies, c’mon tell me!” Old man was quite inquisitive.

“We don’t really have much topics to discuss about, but we manage to discover few of them. It spares me from interacting with people I don’t know.” I hoped he didn’t get the sarcasm.

“They are your relatives, aren’t they? How could they be stranger to you? And btw I’m Hitesh Sharma, Managing Director of PKWC.”

PKWC is a big Investment and Finance Company in south Bangalore. It was no less than a prestigious opportunity to talk to its Managing Director. Now, I was a bit nervous. I stood up and proffered my hand for a handshake.

“Sir, its pleasure meeting you, I’m really humbled.” I clearly appeared a bit unsettled while saying it.

“Be seated young man. Tell me, what makes you people so pre-occupied with these apps and social networking sites, that you completely seem to have lost touch with real world that too in such a wonderful party?” He insisted me to answer. 

“I don’t know Sir. I feel addicted to it.” I blatantly replied.

“There you are, so true. Times have changed. We speak to people openly, but hide ourselves behind the mobile screens while doing so. Isn’t it?”

“Yes, true. But hasn’t it made things convenient enough?”

“It’s relative. But mostly, it has diluted the human relationships. I installed WhatsApp a month ago; only to find myself completely engaged by it for hours together. Its human nature to run towards convenience and ease, but isn’t it more enjoyable to meet and hear people in person?”

 

WhatsApp eh? The old man was pretty young at heart. But what he was telling was worth giving a thought.

He continued, “I’ve seen lots of kids of your generation doing the same thing; relentlessly fidgeting with cell phones. You waste more time in waiting for a reply rather than typing a message, isn’t it?” he quipped.

“Indeed!” I replied and chuckled a bit.

By this time the M.D. was sounding quite well versed with the chatting stuff! 

I listened silently as he continued.

“When I was of your age, things were different. We’d no such medium to communicate, to share or, as most of people do now, talk loads of nonsense. We’d no other option, but to meet in person. It was quite a better world then. There was inconvenience but we learned to live with it. We saw people laugh and cry in their real faces and not over digital emoticons. We learned to express well. We shared our sorrow by crying on someone’s shoulder and jumped for joy when we were happy. And people could literally see us doing so! We didn’t played games on a 5-inch touch screen; we’d vast grounds to do so.” He stopped to attend a phone call.

A strongly established person comes to me and blabbers stuff, which is quite insightful, but there must be something that really bothered him while watching me sitting at a secluded corner without actively participating in the party.

“I ain’t boring you right?”

“Absolutely not sir” I replied. He really wasn’t.

Mr. Hitesh Sharma continued.

     “I’ve seen the world beta. I know how it works. You feel close to people on your chat list but rarely meet them. Value these people who surround you right now, whom you can see in real. Feel their presence and rejoice sharing a life with them. Don’t you feel annoyed at times when people don’t reply quickly? Try talking to them face to face; they won’t have enough time to pretend. Try seeing the world with people who don’t hide themselves behind the glossy screens. At times, when you’ll feel really sad, a message won’t be enough to comfort you, but only a real friend who sits beside you and nudges you playfully, can do the needful.

       
      So, try switching off your cell phone for a day or two. At first it’ll make you bit uncomfortable, but keep at it. Go out; visit people who you really feel could be a better company in real world than on phones. You’ll see how happier life could be!”

     That’s when my uncle stepped in and formally introduced me to this amazing man. I came to know, he was a big "apple" fan and a gadget freak. So, basically I was hearing from a knowledgeable person.

    

     The next day I tried to implement his idea of switching off the cell phone for a day or two. It worked off quite well. I haven't completely stopped using WhatsApp and Facebook but now I feel less depended upon them.

    Try living in real world, with real people in real circumstances. Messaging is good, but only for sharing documents not emotions.