Addicted to Cell Phones

I was pondering the issue of anwering calls and texts messages today. I have realized that I am "addicted" to my cell phone. If I am at home, I usually have it with me, no matter what room I am in. If I am leaving the house, there are three things I make sure I have, one of those things is my cell phone. If I forget my phone, or realize some thirty minutes after I have left the house that I forgot my phone, I freak out. When my sister was living in town and I was still in school/working, there was one time that I forgot my phone, and since I was having lunch with her and my mom, I called her before she had to go to work and asked her to stop by the house and get my phone. I couldn't even go half a day without having it in my possesion.

When did I get to the point of needing to have a phone on me at all times? Fifteen years ago, even ten years ago the majority of people did not have cell phones. If they were driving or out, if you wanted to reach them, you had to leave a message in hopes that your call would be returned. Now, most everyone has a cell phone. When I was a jr high leader at my church it amazed me how many of the kids had cell phones.

We have become a nation addicted to cell phones. Today, I was driving to an appointment, of course on the phone with my sister, and I looked over to the cars that were next to me, and the drivers in both cars next to me were on their phones. I laughed out loud, which kind of confused my sister, since nothing funny was being said. Part of me was laughing because I realized that if I am in my car driving, at least half of the time I will be talking on the phone.

Out in public, I try to keep my phone conversations to a minimum and try to speak quietly...unlike the girl at Starbucks tonight. She was talking so loud, that I could hear her above my ipod, which wasn't quiet. I could care less about her ex-boyfriend, but now I know all about him.

We are becoming a nation that can't stand silence. It is amazing when you actually stop and look around at the number of people talking on a phone or listening to an ipod. This was even more evident to me when I was living in DC and walking to and from the metro from home and work. Any kind of noise will do.

There have been times when I have deliberately not answered a call or turned my phone off. As much as I like being able to get ahold of people when I want to, I don't always want to be available to everyone. I decided this is kind of healthy. I wonder if there will ever be a day when I could go without my cell phone without freaking out all day because I don't have it with me.