Friday, January 19, 2018

The bus stop

A common situation
You missed the bus by two minutes.
You sit in a bar waiting for a friend.
Your plane is delayed by half an hour.

What we tend to do today
Get the phone and check whatsapp. Briefly look up, then check facebook. And twitter. Look up again. Check emails. Scroll through instagram. Drink some water. Answer a whatsapp message. Check the weather report. Check whatsapp again. Consider to change the profile photo. Put away the phone, look around, sigh, panic and grab the phone again.

What we used to do
Reflect on a recent experience. Talk to a stranger. Read a book. Admire the clouds. Compose a song. Paint a picture. Feel the sun on the skin. Close our eyes. Dream. Remember a sweet kiss. Find a solution for a business problem. Brainstorm a new idea. Sit in silence. Watch other people. Wonder about the universe. Enjoy a moment of peace. Embrace solitude.

The verdict
No, not everything used to be better. But likewise, today not everything is good.
There's a space between black and white, between old and new. Find it.