I Don't Understand People

Recently I took my parents-in-law on a cruise on the St Croix River.

It was lovely. We watched the paddles turning controlling the boat's speed and direction, chatted about all manner of things, had a buffet lunch and watched the shoreline go by. But there was one thing I did not understand. A lot of people on the cruise were not even paying attention to their beautiful natural surrounds; some of them were sitting inside playing hangman. Others were on their smartphones on Facebook or checking emails.

I think this kind of behaviour illustrates something I've been thinking a lot about lately. People in the modern Western world are addicted to distraction. We've lost the ability to be 'present'. We are continually thinking about what we're going to do next instead of  concentrating on the task at hand. We are more concerned with checking Facebook than interacting with the people right there in front of us. We only enjoy our food inasmuch as it makes a good picture on Instagram. Most of us can't just sit back, relax and soak in the natural beauty on a cruise up the St Croix River. And I believe we are the poorer for it.