I appreciate modern technology; it’s conducive to what I do for a living, enabling me to meet with clients all over the globe via phone, FaceTime, and Skype.
My smartphone allows me to do several things at once if I want. I don’t.
I love that it’s intelligent enough to also accommodate the Buddhist philosophy of doing one thing at a time: talk on the phone, take a photograph or video, make a recording, send a text, listen to music, transfer money to/from my bank, check in at the airport, even read a book or watch a movie.
I appreciate the vivid artwork on my smartphone’s protective cover — it makes me smile every time I see it.
I also appreciate the Zen Temple Bell ringtone that Len purchased for me. It doesn’t startle. Rather, it’s a single, soft, low tone — a gentle reminder to ask myself, “What’s it like to be on the receiving end of me?” before I pick up.
I’m not a Zen monk, but I enjoy being present in everything I do. Thich Nhat Hanh, one of my favorite Zen monks said, “Smile, breathe, and go slowly.” Like single-tasking, that works well with my lifestyle.
“When walking, walk. When eating, eat.” — Zen proverb
By the way, the sassy digital assistant associated with my smartphone recently suggested that I change the spelling of my name from Laurie to Lori, informing me that the latter version is much more popular!
No thanks, I’m good.
© TuesdaysWithLaurie.com
A version of this post was previously published on tuesdayswithlaurie.comand is republished here with permission from the author.
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Photo credit: Laurie Buchanan
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