What I’d Rather Hold
I have a confession to make. I'm addicted to my phone. Like many others of this generation, I am unable to set my phone down and focus on more important things for a span of time greater than ten minutes. Last weekend, I had intended to unplug from all technology and enjoy a weekend away. I even announced it on my social media channels to let everyone know they shouldn't expect an immediate response, should they contact me. I responded to notifications fifteen minutes later.
Being so addicted to a piece of technology inhibits me from enjoying life to the fullest. It keeps me from getting outside, exploring new places, meeting new people, picking up and touching new things. After pondering my dilemma for a few days, I want to try to cultivate some healthier habits in 2017. Inspired by Rachel's post, I've made a list of a hundred things I'd rather hold than my phone.
HERE ARE 100 THINGS I'D RATHER HOLD THAN MY PHONE (in no particular order):
A stack of books
My love's hand
Sand from the beach
A sparkler on Independence Day
A snowball
A butterfly
Seashells
The handles of a bicycle
A telescope
Seeds for my vegetable garden
A mug of my favorite pomegranate green tea
My camera
A stack of brightly colored autumn leaves
A backpack when going hiking
A peach picked fresh from a tree
Highlighters and a steno notebook
An old map
A bouquet of handpicked daisies
Sidewalk chalk when drawing hopscotch boards with my niece
A glass of white zinfandel
A pumpkin
Pieces of sea glass
A box of matches and my favorite candle
Crumbly pastels and charcoals
Vinyl records
A glass of bourbon
My favorite lip balm
Old photographs
My library card
A dandelion stem as I blow seeds into the wind
A newspaper
Fresh herbs from my garden
A piece of driftwood from the bay
A magnifying glass
A cookbook
A snowcone
A gift for someone
A newborn baby's tiny feet
A wand to blow bubbles
A lamb's ear leaf
Knitting needles and a skein of yarn
A kitten
A canvas bag from my farmer's market
A wristwatch (that I'll need because I won't have my phone to tell the time)
My journal
A burrito
My yoga mat
Movie tickets
A book of Sudoku puzzles
A kaleidoscope
A handwritten letter from a friend
A slice of New York-style pizza
A succulent
Antique keys
A wooden spoon while cooking for someone I love
Bottles of essential oils
My favorite children's books
A deck of cards
Pinecones
A pair of scissors while cutting homemade paper snowflakes
A creature I've never touched before
My sketch pad
Magazines
A fishing pole
Notecards full of research topics
A paintbrush
A stack of essays I've written
College textbooks
A tube of sunscreen
Compassion kits for the homeless
River rocks
A roll of film
One of my antique teacups
A stack of recipe cards that date back generations in my family
Colored pencils
A puppy
Blank canvases and tubes of paint
A picnic basket
A branch of pussy willows
Tickets to the ballet
Clay to throw on a potter's wheel
The handle of a vacuum cleaner
A cherry popsicle
My forty-year-old (and two-generation) plush dog, Marcus
Ocean water
A brown-bagged lunch
A stick to roast marshmallows on around a bonfire
My favorite Pilot G2 pens and a stack of composition books
Sketches for my next tattoo(s)
An apple
A bar of Irish Spring soap
Christmas ornaments
A colorful umbrella while out for a walk on a rainy day
My favorite pieces of jewelry
A pair of aviator sunglasses
Fortune cookies
My Kindle
A handful of saltwater taffy
A wedge of Havarti cheese
My water bottle
So there are a few things I'd rather have in my hands than my phone. Although I do adore my iPhone, I'm going to focus a lot of time this year on setting it down more often and picking up some of the items listed above. I'm also going to attempt to schedule more unplug weekends that I can spend traveling and exploring with friends and loved ones.
