My biggest fear is to become old. Not because it is possible that I’d die from everything that seemed so harmless. No, I am frightened of having nobody around me; nobody who cares about my situation or my feelings. I mean we all recognized how the relationships between us and our ‘fellow men’ become more and more separated over time.
Back in the 20th century women were dependant on their husbands and had to take care of the household and the kids. Even grown-ups were in contact with their parents daily. I’m getting scared to see the changes that happened since then.
Nowadays every person lives in their own world. The little bubble that surrounds every single one of us can be stretched. Some people will never leave this little small-thinking environment.
In there it is all about MY health, MY income, MY lifestyle, MY interests, MY family. Sometimes this word ‘family’ is not included in many lives anymore. In which world are we living in, when relationships are worth less than career and other material items?
Don’t get me wrong. I love being independent and enjoy the rights that all women gained from emancipation. I am not the type of person who thinks we belong in the kitchen or need to stay at home; not at all! But with all the freedom we, every human being, benefit from today, we have lost a lot of interest to keep in touch with other humans.
Letting a deep relationship grow takes time and a lot of patience, which many people can’t deal with anymore. We “unlearnt” how to communicate and how to be a big part of somebody’s life.
Seriously, how much time are we spending in front of the television daily, even though we could socialize with others instead?
I have recognized that when my family comes together all the kids are sitting next to each other on the couch and seem like being glued onto their little flat screens in front of them. At the same time the adults, especially the elderly people, communicate, laugh and have fun.
For how many families out there is this daily routine? If I didn’t know better, I’d say it was normal, but it is not.
Humans were born to be loving, to participate in each others’ lives, to be caring and to extend our knowledge by talking to each other. It is so easy to stray from the right path, and get lost in the world of technology and getting blinded by the reflection of our own face in the bubble.
Try to remember; when did you have a really deep conversation? When did a friend tell you something and you truly listened to his or her words? How often have you been in the situation when you miss your favorite television show and regret that you agreed going out to dinner? And when was the last time that you wished to spend a great night with mom and dad, aunt, uncle, grandma and grandpa?
Everybody has the choice of staying in this bubble and having a fenced and murky life with superficial relationships or boxing the way out of the controlled little world and live in a big, colorful world filled with ties.
My choice is to live once, OK that I can’t even decide whether I want to live one or two times, but most important to live the right way, establish close ties and linger in the memories of many, many people.
Just think about it.
Isabelle Weidmann is a foreign exchange student from Germany.
