This scene is the reverse of what I have seen over the years.
Example: Father sitting at food court table with daughter, who appears to be about 9. She leaning across the table, her hands stretched toward him, and talking earnestly. He leaning back, phone in front of face, one leg crossed over the opposite knee [barrier], not seeing her. Cold.
Example: Mother strolling baby carriage through our neighborhood in spring. Young child about 10 mos, looking at flowers, reaching for them, chattering about them, laughing at the birds. Mother concentrating on her phone, not sharing the time.
This mother is different and perhaps becoming less rare as ‘adult phone addiction’ begins to wane, while the child assumes the role of being ‘occupied’ with important stuff.
It is amazing how many things you can see if you just look.
I am fortunate to live on a peninsula that sticks out into a small lake. It is surrounded by trees. Unless I get in my garage and open the door and look back up my driveway, I cannot see any of my neighbors.
The trees and the lake mean that we see a lot of deer and birds of almost any kind. But then there are the “lesser things” like watching the bats patrol the skies at sunset in search of mosquitoes and other flying critters that would otherwise annoy us. Or bees busying themselves by the hour with our clover. I can’t tell you how many kinds of dragonfly we have.
Then, of course, there is the sunrise itself that first touches the tops of trees across the lake and those trees reflected back on the lake. In the evening, we watch as the sun slips behind some clouds and colors them and the sky with a multitude of hues. Give God a box of crayolas and he can draw a very pretty picture.
The world is out there and is unconcerned with us.
Whenever I think myself too important, I reflect back on the closing words of The Hobbit,“You are a very fine person, Mr. Baggins, and I am very fond of you, but you are quite a small fellow in a wide world after all.”
Jml58 2 months ago
Watch the butterflies.
Direwolf 2 months ago
I can. SOOOOO much better.
DawnQuinn1 2 months ago
She has no clue what “life” is.
sandpiper 2 months ago
This scene is the reverse of what I have seen over the years.
Example: Father sitting at food court table with daughter, who appears to be about 9. She leaning across the table, her hands stretched toward him, and talking earnestly. He leaning back, phone in front of face, one leg crossed over the opposite knee [barrier], not seeing her. Cold.
Example: Mother strolling baby carriage through our neighborhood in spring. Young child about 10 mos, looking at flowers, reaching for them, chattering about them, laughing at the birds. Mother concentrating on her phone, not sharing the time.
This mother is different and perhaps becoming less rare as ‘adult phone addiction’ begins to wane, while the child assumes the role of being ‘occupied’ with important stuff.
dflak 2 months ago
It is amazing how many things you can see if you just look.
I am fortunate to live on a peninsula that sticks out into a small lake. It is surrounded by trees. Unless I get in my garage and open the door and look back up my driveway, I cannot see any of my neighbors.
The trees and the lake mean that we see a lot of deer and birds of almost any kind. But then there are the “lesser things” like watching the bats patrol the skies at sunset in search of mosquitoes and other flying critters that would otherwise annoy us. Or bees busying themselves by the hour with our clover. I can’t tell you how many kinds of dragonfly we have.
Then, of course, there is the sunrise itself that first touches the tops of trees across the lake and those trees reflected back on the lake. In the evening, we watch as the sun slips behind some clouds and colors them and the sky with a multitude of hues. Give God a box of crayolas and he can draw a very pretty picture.
The world is out there and is unconcerned with us.
Whenever I think myself too important, I reflect back on the closing words of The Hobbit,“You are a very fine person, Mr. Baggins, and I am very fond of you, but you are quite a small fellow in a wide world after all.”
Like Hobbits, I tend to enjoy the simpler things.
ladykat 2 months ago
Put the phone away and enjoy the butterflies, child.
Zen-of-Zinfandel 2 months ago
Just wait till she masters driving and texting.
BeniHanna6 Premium Member 2 months ago
Very bad parenting.
sincavage05 2 months ago
Lost in the internet and not realizing the magic is all around her. Put the phone down and open your eyes and ears to a symphony.