Today I had a conversation with a man who was bemoaning the
fact that his son, who had once been so productive and driven, now spends his
days doing nothing but play video games.
This isn’t like his son at all. I felt sorry for his father who is concerned
for his offspring, but at the same time, I felt sorrier for the son. Don’t get
me wrong, I love a good video game from time to time. I play some myself. But,
when I see people spending their entire lives in front of a screen, I can’t
help but think about all of the colorful, magical things that life is filled with
that they are missing.
You see, people like that miss out on some of the most
wonderful things like life, like the roses blooming, the unexpected encounter
of a chance meeting, or the wonderful experience of getting utterly and
completely lost and then turning up at a random, but wonderful destination. Does
anyone ever really remember beating level 39 or killing the most zombies? Well,
it’s possible, but are those really the experiences that you want to build your
life upon?
Looking back on my own life, I don’t remember the games I
played alone in my room, or the hours I spent sitting in class. I don’t
remember the time I spent checking my notifications on Facebook or browsing
pins on Pinterest. What I do remember is all of the time I spent with friends,
visiting family, and meaningful conversations. I remember sunrises, nerve-wracking
moments on stage, dancing every dance, loving, kissing, hugging.
When it comes down to it, those are the things that life is
composed of: beauty, adventures, relationships, community, love, experiences. I
want my golden years to not only to still be filled with these things, but also
the memory of these things.
No comments:
Post a Comment