Greetings Friend,
How do you integrate your physical and virtual life?
Elevator rides can be one of life’s many intimate moments with strangers. Intimate in the form of sharing limited space with others. Sometimes we are conscious of the other(s) in this shared space. Other times, we may be so consumed by our devices that we don’t acknowledge their presence.
Recently while waiting for an elevator another person walks up wearing earbuds and staring at their phone screen. Without acknowledging one another’s presence, we enter the elevator. They begin texting and direct a partial smile at the phone screen. We reached the main floor, they step out of the elevator and continue on their evening. I never had the opportunity to say hello, to smile, or to wish them well.
Are these seconds of human interaction, or lack thereof, now becoming a common experience? We could either be the rider who finds ways to express emotion through a gadget or the one who offers a smile in person. Nevertheless, this moment taught me the necessity for intentionally integrating these two different worlds, digital and in-person, into our lives.
One world unimaginably connects people between all seas in a matter of seconds. The other allows for the precious gift of human touch. One world provides unlimited access to knowledge of all kinds. The other facilitates experiences that can only be understood in the physical presence of another. Both are powerful forms of communication that mobilize societies, establish communities, and inspire people.
We now live in a world that requires fusion between your physical life and virtual life. What does this look like for you? Are you preserving and nurturing human interactions in your daily life? Are you leveraging and enhancing your devices to connect virtually?
-Big