The world today is filled with gadgets, gizmos, tablets, smart phones, and pagers. Children at the pre-school level have a mastery of navigating the world of apps, far better than most adults, while teens are so entrenched in their social media you begin to wonder if face to face communication is ever possible.

What now seems to be a concerning trend is the amount of adults who are bordering obsession with their phones. Look around the next time you go out in public and notice how many people are glued to their devices, it’s startling.

What was previously an opportunity for a parent to bond with their children, or spouses to notice the sparkle in each other’s eye, has been replaced by looking up sports scores, reading people’s mindless opinions on mindless matters, and looking at pictures of others dinner plate(s).

Society as a whole has never felt as lonely and isolating as it does now. No one is living in the moment with the people they are with but rather they are reliving events that they never even experienced, through other’s Facebook, Twitter, etc.

The next time you are out with friends or family, try turning your devices off for just an hour. For just an hour experience what is going on in the lives of those who are closest to you. Listen to them and make them feel as though you are present, it will undoubtedly create a stronger connection with the world and with the people you love the most.