Completely disconnected

The restaurant was pretty busy, but we didn’t have to wait for a table. Our table was in front of a window, in a corner of the dining room. A family of three was seated at a table next to ours.

Every one of them was on their phone.

Each adult – a father, a son, and a daughter, I think – were hunched over their smart phones texting, scrolling through social media, and watching video. No one said a word to another.

In fact, when the server came over, no one looked up. Each mumbled an order and the server walked away.

Their food came and no one looked up. Each ate, focused on their device. As if no one else existed. No one else in the world.

We are both more connected and disconnected than ever. Relationships sacrificed for instant and useless entertainment. We can contact anyone, yet we talk to no one. Even together we are alone.