August 22, 2008
Headphone cocoon
I was on the GO bus this week returning home from Toronto, and I had brought my mp3 player with me. I slipped it on and settled back for the ride.
I hadn’t in a long time actually used my mp3 player. For awhile, when I took the city bus to work each day, I would often use it. I remember when I started my new job and carpooling with others I thought I would really miss that ‘alone’ time.
Yet that’s not what I felt when I put my mp3 player on. It felt strange. I felt disconnected from others. It’s like I was in a cocoon and separated from everyone else.
Listening to songs on mp3 player certainly wasn’t being ‘alone’ to personally reflect or spend time with God. It wasn’t close to what Richard Foster says about needing to be alone so that we can be with others.
I was surprised at my reaction, and also at what is obviously a desire of mine to be with people and interact with them. Headphones and personal music players are definitely a barrier to that interaction.