2012 ~ 273

No Interaction Required
I noticed the other day that I live in a society where it is easy to be invisible. I do a job where I speak to people all over the country. But they don't see me. I clock in on my own, I do my job, I eat lunch alone (most of the time), I clock out alone. (I am grateful for my coworkers, if not for them and a friend that texts my every so often, I would have little interaction some days.) I drove home from work, my 13 minute commute, I traveled past hundreds of people. Yet, as long as we all play by the rules, there is no interaction required. I stopped at the library to return a book (vampire sizzle in the sand!) and rather than asking for help to find the new book I wanted, I used the computer to find it on my own. I checked out using the self borrowing center. Again no interaction required. I stopped by the grocery, gathered the things I needed and used the self check out. No interaction required. I drove home. No neighbors wave on my street. No interaction required. I took my books and purchases in. The dog was happy to see me, but there was no one else home. No interaction required. Chores and a quiet evening at home. No interaction required. Most days are not like this for me. But it gave me reason to ponder. It would be so easy to fade away.
Society and technology have both, together played a great hand in ensuring a false sense of independence and self reliance. But in this day and age....we still need each other. We need to care for others, do for others. We need to feel thought of, cared for....we need Interaction.