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Wondering why -
On a 10-day trip without internet - I
Felt happier than I ever do;
Why - when I got back -
I slowly started to feel that lack,
Like I was missing something, too?
I tried to make the most
Of my life on Facebook, {tag, like,
post}
But the more I said, the more
I felt I hadn't
Done a thing {smiley, wink face}.
Saddened,
I dropped down to the floor,
Did some push-ups and
Wiped the dust off my pearling hand.
Made drinking water divine -
Just to give a sweat.
Then I realized what I hadn't done yet:
I hadn't not been online.
I really like this one! I just got back from a 10-day trip from Spain with no internet and I can really relate to this poem. As someone who spends so much time online, I thought I'd be miserable with no internet; however, besides being frustrated the first day or so, I wasn't miserable at all. Not being attached to my cell phone or laptop made me find other things to fill my time -- testing my Spanish while talking to local Spaniards, figuring out the Madrid metro and getting lost twice to get to the Reina Sophia to see that Picasso I wasn't familiar with, trying new food I never thought I'd eat, being adventurous.
ReplyDeleteNow that I'm back with internet, I'm starting to feel something missing. It's nice to know that I'm not completely alone.
I really like your works -- I've read through them all now. I feel an instant connection to a lot of them, and I feel like that emotional response and loss of loneliness is one of the most important things art can give.
Keep doing what you do!
Brittany J.
It's amazing what a little connection with the real world does ... in making you realize how disconnected & un-fulfilling the internet is, socially.
DeleteBut knowing that is the first step in actively balancing one's life (I like to imagine, when I go out, that I've been dead for a week, then given a 1-day vacation back to life: smile at everybody! Say hi - it feels so good, so human, just to make that little connect).
I think I WILL keep doing this. Thanks.
Living in the technology driven 21st century, I appreciate the message of this poem. Every year my family goes camping in British Columbia, Canada and I too feel a great sense of happiness temporarily letting go of internet obligations. I also relate to the feeling of emptiness upon return from such a vacation. I believe this poem is conveying that humans are nature’s creatures and will always feel jubilant when leaving the new age behind to connect with the outdoors one-on-one. Products of the current generation attempt to connect with others through social media forgetting that the best way to converse with someone is through face to face contact. The line, “made drinking water divine,” stood out to me. I think it is referring to the fact that today’s world focuses so much on the importance of obtaining the latest and greatest technology that it forgets the beauty of simple things that make life on earth possible and when we do let go facebook, twitter, and all the other social media sights, we find contentment and relief.
ReplyDeleteIn the technology driven world we live in today, I think this message of this poem is very prevalent and I appreciate it. From experience I know that being in a place without high speed internet access and cell service etc. is very liberating. Without the temptation of social media you feel “happier” because you do not have your phone and notifications nagging at you every second, or the incessant need to check your email and do work. Being without internet allows more social interaction and allows you to genuinely life live, and not do so behind a screen. Having internet access created the feeling of “lack” because it made things easier and more convenient. With internet life begins to lack genuine human interaction. It allows creates the depreciation of the beautiful things life has to offer regardless of how simple they are. Drinking water and sweating are simple human functions that become overrated because of the internet. I think this poem encourages those to not go on the internet and instead enjoy the simpler aspects of life. The internet creates a void for people between reality and the online world and this poem focuses on the need to overcome that void.
ReplyDeleteIndeed. Did you mean prevalent, or relevant? I'll assume you meant relevant and say thank-you.
Delete