Cellphoney

With a smirk I have to admit I'm beginning to become the Old Fart that I've spent my life despising. You know who I'm talking about; the guy/person who says stuff like, "I just don't understand the things people do these days."

Well, I don't.

The other day I was doing my photography and in the midst of a particularly spectacular sunset (as if they're not all!), in one of the most remote parts of the world, some people came into frame. No sweat. I like people. They tend to add to my pictures, like little speckles of energy that dance on the body of this big ol' Mama.

And then, sitting down together side-by-side in perfect frame position for a shot of the sun enflaming the ocean just over their heads, they each shook a cell phone out of their respective pockets and dialed in to some moments somewhere else.

One of my life quests has been to learn to be more here, more present in each moment. As if to insult a lifetime of seeking, everywhere I go are people being THERE now! On the street, in their cars, in your driveway, next to you at the restaurant, coming out of the rest room, in the middle of a conversation even! Wherever you go, whatever you do you are surrounded by people whose bodies are in front of you, but their presence is elsewhere.

It's not like this was new to me. Somehow, though, this one just felt like a brand new insult. Right at the place where you surrender your cares to the richness of the moment-- one of the few places where you can actually share your solitude with another human being