Cyberspaced Out

When did we become so attached to our spartphones and PDAs that we are unable to take notice of anything beyond cyberspace? I must confess that I do not often go for walks without my own 'leash' for fear that something important will happen in some obscure corner of the world and I will have missed it. I will always put down the device for an opportunity to participate in a real conversation, or otherwise interact, with actual people.
It is true that for the first time, we have instant gratification, up-to-the-nanosecond updates on every detail of everything that happens everywhere at once and the sum of human knowledge just a few keystrokes away, but at what cost? It does us little good to know that this one really important discovery was made, or to know the progress of that disaster relief effort, if we do not then open meaningful dialogue with one another in order to place these events into some sort of context.
These devices can greatly expand our knowledge, both with the searchable information on anything and everything, and the ability to electronically discuss that information with people globally. However, we need not lose our balance and our own sense of community in the process.
Three days a week, I like to get outside and hike the trails around Dunbar Cave - off the leash. Then I head to the bookstore to drum up some conversation with anyone who seems receptive to the possibility of venturing off their own leash for a moment. I strongly recommend setting aside some time during the week to remind ourselves that these are tools, and that the meaning of life will not be defined here. The advice that our mothers so wisely gave when we were stuck in front of the television with a Nintendo console holds even more meaning today, "Go outside and play!"