by Jennifer Hudock

Created on: July 15, 2008

As you navigate through the market, or traverse the local bookstore, they are everywhere. Cell Phones curved around the faces of everyone you might meet. You might have met them, if they hadn't quickly turned their phone and face away to keep their conversations private after giving you a look that suggests, "How dare you intrude on my personal business?" After all, this is a public place, isn't it?

The words "Communication Age" have a nice ring to them, but in all honesty this connection to constant communication is isolating us from the people outside of our previously established circles. That aside, it also brings up multiple misunderstandings. Anyone who has tried to drive while talking on the phone can tell you it is no simple task. Now take into consideration the disorientation it takes to walk around a crowded place while holding a conversation with someone who isn't standing next to you. It may sound easy, but it's a lot more complicated than it sounds. Consider this: caught up in that conversation, you're more likely to cut someone off, bump into them or confuse them as you ask, "So what did you think?" when they pick up the latest copy of "The Host" by Stephenie Meyer to read the back cover. How embarrassed are you both going to be when he starts to talk about not having read beyond the first book in the "Twilight" Series?

It used to be that people went out of their homes to meet new people and even make new friends. With the increase in cell phone usage we are more focused on staying in touch with the people we already know, than reaching out to the people around us. Not only are we isolating ourselves with this behavior, but it isolates everyone you come in contact with as well.

The minute your cell phone reaches your ear, imagine a brick wall of unapproachability springing up around you. The next time you're at the mall, take a look around at all the walking brick walls, caught up in their own world, and completely unaware of what is going on around them. How likely would you be to approach someone in the market who has a phone up to their ear? About as likely as you would be to approach and start talking to the nearest brick wall.

The communication age will fail as quickly as it has risen if we don't truly start to communicate with each other. Start today by leaving your cell phone off while you're walking through the park. People went hundreds of years without being able to instantly communicate with each other. It won't hurt to lose touch with your circle of friends for just a couple of minutes. Who knows, you might even meet someone interesting.

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