Am I an Addict?

Nobody likes being called an Addict. But we all are slowly and eventually going to become addicted to technology. As phones are becoming easier to use and more fun, the significance of the virtual world is increasing ten-folds. What used to be a utility has now become a need. My cousin sister came over last weekend and put on some lullaby-story telling app to put my nephew to sleep. She said,"He's so used to it now, that he doesn't sleep without watching it." I was astonished, what was one of my favorite memory, quality time with my parents at the end of the day. Snuggling and cuddling in my parents arms while enjoying a pleasant story was being replaced by some app!
As the age groups progress it gets worse. Sometimes even I'm constantly glancing over the phone to see if I have a message,a mail, or a notification. We're incessantly waiting for something to take place. Our minds need to relax. We need to realize the world isn't going to stop if you don't know whats happening in the other part of the world. We're simply withdrawing quality from the real if we're wasting so much of our time, energy and mental capacity over the virtual one. 

Yes, it's miraculous that we can connect to people in the remotest parts of the world, people have a voice that is stronger because of a robust platform like the social media, and yes there is no bad in sharing your ideas, views and talent over these channels of creativity. But yet again we shouldn't dive too deep into this virtual happiness that we forget how actual, existing, real happiness feels like.

I'm planning to set a time limit for when to use my phone. Life is getting crazy day by day. I hope to peek over this post ten years later and remind myself this: "Look around you, Talk to the people around you, Listen, Observe, Feel! There's way more going on in real than in that little rectangle screen of yours."

#Mumbai_Diaries

   "Abbe yeh rasta tere baap ka hai kya!" 

(Is this road owned by your father)

I twisted my head to get a better view of the commotion created in the middle of the busy street. I slapped my forehead in exasperation as this great argument between the hot headed gigantic truck driver and the cross driver of the squeakily fragile rickshaw was ultimately going to waste oodles of time. 

Brought up in this crazy city of mayhem, I have become accustomed to these daily shows put up by people. Everyone thinks highly of themselves here. Giving off free advice (sometimes way too many), Street-sellers defending their supply as probably the best thing you can find in the world and rickshaw-walas well they are from a different world all together. You literally have to beg them to take you to your destination while the meter runs at rocket speed! 

But even though we're slightly messed up on following rules there is a mutual understanding that prevails. Yes we do stop in the middle of the road to talk or ask directions and the pedestrians do enjoy full freedom to encroach the road despite of sidewalks. But these silly, unruly things make us, Us! 

All youngsters want to travel. Settle in a developed country. Enjoy the nightclubs and the beautiful parks. Stroll along the clean identically aligned trees that adorn the sidewalks. Sit in that pretty bench and watch the calm surroundings. I would be lying if I said I didn't wish for that too. But there's something here that amazes me. The unrestrained freedom to dance on the streets, the ability to pour your heart out to a stranger in your long train commute, the attitude to feel like you rule the place. Mumbai may seem intimidating at first but soon it becomes home. You get that warm feeling of family in this city.

And to my surprise the fight got over soon, the frail rickshaw won against the sturdy truck. I laughed as I saw the truck move aside. This place sure is a mess I thought, but definitely a beautiful mess :)