Eye & Pen: Lifestyle, Travel, Photography and Literature
  • Main
  • Blog
  • Topics
    • Accommodations
    • Bucket List
    • Cheap Travel
    • Culture
    • Essay
    • Destinations
    • Inspiration
    • Interviews
    • Narratives
    • Personal
    • Photography
    • Restaurants
    • Reviews
    • Safe Travel
    • Travel Planning
    • Trip Update
    • Weekly Wanderlust
  • Photo Gallery
    • Photo Gallery – All Places
    • Photo Gallery – Aruba
    • Photo Gallery – England
    • Photo Gallery – Europe
    • Photo Gallery – Iceland
    • Photo Gallery – Ireland
    • Photo Gallery – Italy
    • Photo Gallery – Northern Ireland
    • Photo Gallery – Other
    • Photo Gallery – Scotland
    • Photo Gallery – USA
  • Services
    • Blog Coaching
    • Graphic Design
    • Hire Brandon
    • Advertising
  • About Brandon
  • Contact

Encouraging meaningful conversation

2/15/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
“I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.”
–Albert Einstein

In a modern world, dominated by technology, texting, and being glued to our digital devices, profiles in the cloud, and alternative worlds, it has never been more important to consider meaningful conversation with our dearest family and friends. Believe it or not, there once was a time that cell phones and mobile devices didn’t exist, and people actually spent time together because they thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company. As technology advances, areas of our lives become simpler and more under our control, however other aspects are being left to fall by the wayside. It was once natural to have an entire conversation over dinner or drinks without checking one’s gadget – it was also perfectly okay to look each other in the eye, and to genuinely care about what the other says.
I know, I know – this article thus far has been riddled with sarcasm and underlying witty remarks that suggest that I don’t suffer from the exact same disconnection that I’m referencing to. But the truth is, that I do struggle with the same issues that everybody else does. Sometimes, I feel like my online persona is a better person than I really am, deep, down, inside – for (honestly) that person that my friends and family know is probably a bit more blunt, random, selfish, perverted, and curses much too often.

As I progress through life, I learn valuable lessons all of the time, many of which are from simple trial and error, and others are lessons that sit heavy within my heart. One of the many life lessons that I’ve learned is what the true values are in life – as they are not the materialistic things, gold or jewelry, cars or houses, or numbers in a bank account. The important things in life are the people you’ve connected with through your time here on earth, be it by traditional family relations, or deeper connections with those rare individuals who you call (that magical word) friends. As I grow wiser and as the birthdays begin to pile up, friends (or rather, acquaintances) part and that strong connection and tight grasp you once shared no longer is as important as it used to be. This can happen because of certain events or circumstances, or sometimes they just happen. As people progress through their own lives, their paths change, and most of the time whether it be because of marriage, children, or a new career path, relationships can suffer, or as I said before, they can fall by the wayside.

Another contributing factor to the drop off of friendships is for the lack of participation. As you (probably) know now, relationships have to be nourished and given attention to, for without which, they suffer tremendously. I realize that life can get too busy and seem too crazy, but the fact that you can save a relationship by simply paying attention more during your conversations, no matter how rare they are, can be all the positive change it needs. I challenge you to turn off your devices, and focus in the next time you’re out to dinner with an old friend, having drinks with a new friend, or even simply on the phone with your mother. The simple act of showing you care adds to the positive change that the world needs, and for this little effort, your relationships can be ever stronger.

You never know when you might need a friend.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Sign up for my VIP email list:

Picture
Picture

Article Topics

All
About Blogging
Accommodations
Bucket List
Cheap Travel
Culture
Destinations
Discussion
Entertainment
Environment
Essay
Fine Art Feature
Gear
General
Giveaway
Green Living
Guest Posts
Inspiration
Interviews
Lifestyle
Luxury
Narratives
Not Recommended
Other
Personal
Photography
Restaurants
Reviews
Safe Travel
Trip Planning
Trip Update
USA Road Trip
Video
Weekly Wanderlust

RSS Feed

Monthly Archive

November 2021
September 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012

*Disclaimer: All blog posts featuring products, reviews, or suggestions for products or services are governed by our Disclosure. Products were received free to review, so to provide authentic opinions and content for our readers. The opinions and ideas in this post are the writer's own and are uninfluenced by any other person or business. We receive no compensation for product reviews. Links within non-product review posts may be sponsored.
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.