Being comfortable in the in-between-ness!

When things run smoothly, and you slip into the comfort of mundane activities, when the urge to confront or retaliate in most situations is less, and when there is no next big thing to make a record on social media, I feel getting comfortable gets challenging. The in-between states of things worth calling out, the time spent in mundane activities, and the deprivation of attention are discomfiting. The awareness of this uneasy feeling and living with it is losing its battle in this era. It takes immense courage to stay ideal in between events now. The patience to wait at traffic signals to queue outside petrol stations, train and bus stops, cafes, and restaurants is a depreciating asset. The urge to glance at our handheld screens takes over, and within seconds, minutes fly. Looking at the screens is not an issue in itself. But the why, what, how, and when of glancing makes me ponder many things.

The delusion of reality, the disengagement in our talks and thoughts, and the abstract and blank looks in conversation show the slow process of losing track of ourselves. It is tougher for me to accept that I am the pet of my mobile and not the other way around. Multiple times, I questioned the need to use a mobile while happily spending my precious time loafing around in the corridors of social media. On rare occasions, I picked up valuable information. However, how much of it I processed and used is questionable.

During numerous conversations with friends, my brain can recall scrolling through the topics, pictures, and short videos with astonishing clarity. But it fails when recalling the spelling of 'Mississippi' or even my mobile number. Despite doing Digital Detox in the past and having practiced controlled use of devices, I fail terribly. For how long will I be dependent on these gadgets and devices? Off-late, I hugely admire people who continue to live without gadgets or social media even if they can afford it.

This realization of wasting time and peace of mind, and the pressure to prove yourself happy and successful through digital records, is making life tough. The so-called fast-paced life, only our impression, doesn't move any faster when we want it to. It takes ages to get through traffic jams, years to get out of debt, and decades to get into a healthy lifestyle, so what is fast-paced? Is it the social media posts, the hundred-second news, and the thirty-second films that are nowhere remotely related to us yet wreaking havoc on our daily lives? At times, I feel this creates a hallow in our living well. The irony is that I seek advice from Google on how to cope with growing reliance on Digital devices or social media.

The other day, I got stuck in a lift without my mobile for no more than ninety seconds. The shock of getting stuck, even for split seconds, made my brain recall my entire life and forecast the scenes if I had to spend the next few hours in a closed box. It has been a long time since I noticed how fast my brain can compute things. Had I been stuck in the lift with my phone, I would have happily spent the next few hours browsing. And in the hope that someone would get me out eventually. Luckily, the drama ended quickly, but the agony of taking a flight of stairs left me mentally and physically weak.

However, I noticed the whole situation was not that destructive after all. The in-between state was not that uncomfortable. The ideal time tested my patience and physical and mental fitness and gave me food for thought. Above all, it gave me the confidence to be comfortable in-between-ness. All I now need is the practice. I realized my mind and body don't need more social media and gadgets, but these opportunities to stay ideal and be comfortably uncomfortable.

You might have glanced at the title and skipped it. However, it intrigued you to spend the next few minutes browsing or reading it. If you have come this far, you have my deepest gratitude. I will hasten to urge you to take a break, breathe, and look away. You are far more important than this digital version of my thoughts.