'Connected'

For quite some time, I've known about my addiction . . . to the internet.

I work online. I play online. I meet up with my friends online. I make jokes online. I LIVE online.

Being in South Africa has its advantages. The culture is not nearly as "connected" as I am accustomed to. Also, the internet connections are much slower. You think I'd be happy about disconnecting myself from that global information umbilical cord, but I get so frustrated when I can't check my email. Or chat on gmail! Or update Facebook . . . goodness gracious!!

I met up with a couple of friends yesterday, both Capetonians. One friend, a very spirited and social personality teased me about how much I'm on Facebook. My sister and I exchanged glances and hung our heads in a bit of shame. I find it utterly hilarious . . .

It makes me think about the father who bought his 4 year old an iTouch. On the one hand, it's a great idea to expose youngsters to technology at a very early age. They will be far ahead of others in terms of chatting, and emailing and sharing files, etc. However, does this also diminish our connections with the 'real' world? Does it remove a human's discovery of the world through the 5 senses? Could becoming so technologically 'connected' distance us from the earth and from our environment?

I guess it's all about balance. For instance, while I'm here in Cape Town I've committed to taking walks along the beachfront as much as I can. I want to smell the sea, and hear her orchestra of melodies. I want to remember it . . . and feel connected to it. I must create a balance between being 'connected' and Being Connected.

Kelley