It’s no secret that our world has changed dramatically in the last 30 years. Technology has created a society where people are connected in ways that were unimaginable in the 1980s. But how connected are we? It amazes me, working in a restaurant, the amount of people I see go out to dinner and tap away on their phone the entire time. Even while eating, they have a fork in one hand and their phone in the other. What is the point?

We walk around with these precious devices that provide entertainment, social interaction and news at our fingertips. Are we losing touch with the world that is right in front of us? Are we missing out on the environment that is alive and changing around us?

We’ve become so addicted to these devices that laws have been made because we can’t put them down while we’re driving. A study conducted by psychologists at the University of Utah, says driving while talking on a cell phone is the equivalent to driving while intoxicated.

Do we not remember the days when once you left your house, your ability to communicate was put on hold until you reached the nearest landline? When you would have to search for the nearest phone to notify someone you were running a bit late? Hopefully you knew their number…

That’s another thing, who remembers phone numbers anymore? I know two people’s numbers by memory today and only because they haven’t changed in the last 20 years. Before the cellphone, you would dial a number so often that it was eventually committed to memory. Now, if you lose your phone, or the battery dies, you better hope you aren’t in some kind of emergency situation.

My cellphone has become such an extension of me that I have a mild panic attack if I think I may have lost it. I start feeling flushed even if I’ve only been searching for a couple minutes. My connection to everyone seems like it’s cut off and life as I know it comes to a screeching halt.

Technology has advanced significantly in the last 30 years. In the future, as technology continues to evolve, an entire new set of complications will likely arise. Thirty years from now, someone will probably be writing about how simple the days of cell phones were. Perhaps it will be how we’ve lost touch with society after being taken over by virtual reality and brain implants. Who knows?

It’s hard to say where the world is going, but we can’t forget to enjoy the life we are living today. So perhaps next time you go out to eat, or spend time with friends or family, put your devices away. Have a real conversation without getting distracted by your phone. You may feel more connected than you thought possible.