Thinking about being connected

I am looking out the window and noticing that it is still raining and planning what kind of thing the kids and I can do tonight. And I was also thinking about how weird I think it is that people don't concentrate on walking and being present at their walk nowadays. Leastwise, in my neck of the woods. Everyone is either on a cell phone or texting, those thumbs going a mile a minute. All the time they are walking. Their feet are moving. But they can't really be seeing anything. And that is so sad. Also from a personal safety standpoint, I confess it sort of creeps me out. Years of martial arts training ingrained in me that the best safety of all is awareness of your surroundings.

I love how blogs and email can help me be connected with friends far and near. But I never want to be disconnected from the world in which I walk. Or the kids I walk with. I see parents on a cell pushing a stroller, or holding a kiddo's hand. I like thinking up games to keep my crew interested. We have scavenger hunts for things of a certain color, or guess how many cars are going to go past on a street, or see who sees the first squirrel. Couldn't do that if I was talking on a cell phone. We admire gardens and get landscaping ideas. Couldn't do that if I was texting. Now I know that I don't own a cell phone, but the point is, if I did, I would only use it for an emergency. Not to entertain me while I was walking.