Social media and technology is supposed to keep us more connected with others. Instead, it pulls us apart.

When was the last time you checked your phone?  Your Twitter or Instagram? Snapchat?  Are you thinking about it right now?

People don’t give a second thought when others check their phones constantly.  Am I the only one who wonders what teenagers used to do for fun? We’re all hit with boredom sometimes, and most of us turn to technology to alleviate that boredom.

Have you ever had your phone or laptop taken away, or lost them? What do you do without them? Is it even worth remembering what happened during that lost time? I can’t imagine doing anything except sitting there, drooling like a zombie, and hoping for better days.  I rarely take the time to think about what I could be doing.

I know I’m being hypocritical.  If I can’t find my iPhone, a full on panic attack will set in.  But when I hang out with my friends, I want to hang out with them.   I don’t want to be talking to my screen the whole time.

Is it not concerning how small children know how to use a smartphone before they can read? Children are being raised seeing their parents and siblings enraptured with these pretty, shiny, glowing things.

I remember very clearly a time over the summer when I was with three of my friends.  It was a beautiful night, and we were sitting around a bonfire. I remember sitting there looking at the sky, and then looking around and seeing all three of my friends’ looking down at their screens.

Social media can be a great thing.  You can stay connected with people who’ve moved away, meet new people, and stay updated.  There’s nothing wrong with checking your feed when there’s a lull in your day.

But when does it become too much? When do you know you’ve crossed the line from social-media-butterfly to an addict looking for your next high?  When did we decide that checking the Snapchat story of that guy you met at the beach once was more important than paying attention to the people you care about?

What’s wrong with a little silence?