While at Lollapalooza in Chicago last weekend, I caught a band called City and Colour (amazing, by the way, check them out). Before performing one of the songs, the lead singer said, “Just for this one, put down your Blackberries and iPhones. Please don’t worry about tweeting where you are, posting a picture on Facebook or texting your friends. Sometimes, we get so caught up in trying to remember the moment that we forget to be in it.” 

…Sometimes we get so caught up in trying to remember the moment that we forget to be in it. How true is that? It goes without saying that there are both great and not-so-great things that come along with technology and social media. That’s the case with really anything in life. But, one thing that has changed is our ability to just be caught in a moment. 

Whenever we see something beautiful, there is this urge to snap a picture and post it on Facebook- we rarely stop to simply be in awe of whatever it is we are looking at. When we find a great article, we immediately tweet it out to our followers- sometimes before we even read the whole thing through or think about what it means to us. At concerts, we are too busy recording a video rather than just being swept up in the emotion and meaning of a song. 

How liberating would it be to get back to a place where we really experienced, felt and appreciated our moments in life? How much depth and authenticity could we add back into our most precious relationships if we stopped checking our phones every five minutes, avoided texting at the dinner table and met up with people more often than we emailed them? 

In this crazy, frenetic world of constant connection and technological advancement, it is becoming increasingly harder to shut it all off, clear our minds and focus on what matters most- being caught up in the moments that give our lives true context and meaning. 

You want your life back? 

Just shut off your phone for a day. 
Shut off your laptop for two. 
Meet a friend to talk over coffee instead of G-Chat. 
The next time a co-worker swings by to have a conversation, look at that person instead of down at your inbox. 
Refrain from using Facebook to have serious conversations that are better reserved for a phone or face-to-face interaction. 
Go play outside. 
Close your eyes. 
Dream a while. 
Smile! 


No picture, text, tweet or email could ever take the place of being completely caught up in a beautiful, real moment. 

So be caught up in as many moments as you can, every single day. And don’t worry about recording your entire life along the way- because the moments that are truly meaningful are inherently unforgettable. No camera, phone, Twitter feed or Facebook page required.