I flew for the first time in a while last week. The photo above is our approach to Atlanta. It was a quick, uneventful trip to Norfolk and back. And quick and uneventful are what we want.
Before we took off, I sat in the waiting area with about 200+ folks. And, as I usually do, I surveyed the sea of faces, imagining who they were and where they were going.
There was only one problem, though. I couldn't really see anyone's face. With the exception of maybe a couple of people, everyone had their eyes on a screen in front of them. There was no conversation. No smiles...no human contact except for the young mother holding her baby.
And I typically smile at anyone with whom I make eye contact. But the recipients of my goodwill -- if they looked up from their phones -- mostly stared at me with frozen faces.
My seat mates on the plane were different, however. One chatted incessantly. She had never flown alone before and hadn't been on a plane in 20 years. She was claustrophobic and terrified. I managed to keep her mind off the fact that we were 30,000 feet in the air...even made her laugh a few times.
And the guy to my right was a IT specialist who was well-versed in AI. I didn't understand most of what he said, but at least, there was human interaction.
There's something about airports that brings out the ego in people. Everyone walks very fast and acts like they're extremely important and totally irreplaceable.
And none of us are any of those things...except the irreplaceable part to a few who might love us unconditionally.
It's sad that people think that those whom we don't know don't matter.
And nothing is further from the truth.
Human beings need one another. That's the only way we'll survive this ever-changing, super sonic world in which we live.
Please. Take the time to look up from your screen and smile.
Because that phone or tablet will never replace human interaction, and they sure can't love you.
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