- Save lives – yours and others’. Walk mindfully.
About two weeks ago I watched with horror as I saw a man almost being run over by a car at Orchard Road. He was on his phone, oblivious, and facing away from traffic yet crossing the road. A few of us called out to him and he managed to step back in time. If the car had hit him, the few of us walking near him may also have been injured.
I also see many people almost bumping into me while they walk and look at their phones.
The other day I saw a crushed snail next to my friend’s foot. I wondered whether it had needlessly died because someone was looking at their phone while walking.
I see drivers looking at their phones while driving. I wonder how many lives have been lost because of this. The other day, as I saw a driver on the ECP look at his phone while driving, I actually felt tears well up. I thought about how I would feel if my loves ones were hit by such drivers. Then I wondered how many of my loved ones were such drivers!!
Some of us have become zombies or addicts or nearing that, plugged into various electronic gadgets, disconected from the present and unable to be in silence or with our own thoughts for even a few minutes. Yet we are judgmental of addicts such as alcoholics and drug and gambling addicts. Maybe this addiction to electronic gadgets is bigger than all of that! (Watch video on smartphone addiction.)
There is an alternative – we could be walking around with vitality, connected to the present, aware of where we’re heading, what we’re stepping on, aware of who’s walking around us, smile at them, help someone who may need help, or send positive intentions to people.
So what can I personally do? I can stop looking at my phone while walking. I don’t do it much but if I want others to be more mindful, I need to be as well. “Don’t do it much” is poor excuse. Maybe on the day I do do it, I might hurt someone or myself.
I thank the series of incidents that have led me to this resolution to not look at my phone while walking and certainly not cross roads while using the phone. I especially thank the crushed snail and this beautiful one (in photo) in showing me how we can destroy a fragile and beautiful life if we’re not mindful…his fate lies in your hands…or rather feet..
As I have shared before, our behaviour on walkways and roads may reflect how we journey through life. Moving too fast and mindlessly, we may get crushed… or crush someone/something else….
Moving mindfully could bring us greater connection with ourselves and others…and hence, greater joy.
How to Break Free from Addictive Checking
Coping with Cell Phone Addiction
PS: Since I wrote this, I saw a pregnant woman crossing the road in Orchard looking at her handphone….I would like to invite you to observe others and yourself on this matter…and if you like, try using your handphone less…What do you see? What do you realise? What do you feel? What could you choose? Where would it bring you?
