Temptations

In 2 weeks, I will reach an important milestone in my life. I was hoping and planning to spend that special day with my parents. But neither my parents nor my husband is going to be around. I managed to invite my "second" family, my German friends from the Buddhist chanting group and will spend the evening with them chanting and having dinner later. I will write about it when it happens. From the time I have known the Apple Company and its products, I wanted to possess an Apple product. I had my eyes on the iPad Air. My husband said he would gift me an iPad and we got very excited and busy searching online for the iPad catering to our needs.

Once you get into the online web of products, it becomes tough to get out. We easily must have spent 2 hours just deciding on what product suits our needs and what color etc. will be okay. While doing the research online, at the back of mind, a question was popping in my mind, "Do you really need this"? A voice was asking me, "Do you really need one more screen in your life"? "Aren't the mobile phone, laptop and the television enough for your entertainment and wastage of time that you want to add one more screen to it?

I came back to my senses. I realized that I was simply getting tempted to buy one more device in my life, which is actually not a necessity. All the essential things can be done on a mobile phone and a laptop. I have a good notebook that helps me to write blogs, surf online, read and, write e-mails. I connect it to the television when I feel like watching a good movie on a big screen. I watch most of the serials on my mobile. What difference would an Ipad make in my life? What things would it offer me differently that will not be provided by my phone or notebook? I know Apple product lovers will not agree to this argument that electronic products of Lenovo are better than iPad or an iPhone. I am aware of the technical excellence of all Apple products, but they also come with a price. Those products are for a life-time, many would agree. It's a one-time investment, for sure, but in my life where conversations are replaced by screentime, I don't want to add one more screen to my family's time together. T would have definitely wanted to try out some games on the iPad. He is not a screen addict as he is just 7 years old. But if I don't set an example before him, he will be hooked to the screen as he becomes a teenager. It's inevitable, but I want to prolong his dependence and ability to get entertained on the mobile alone till the longest time possible.

So, I decided against buying the iPad, the thing that I always wanted to possess for many years. I had the chance this year to celebrate the milestone in my life by being its proud possessor. I could have easily got it from my husband. He was offering to buy it for me for a long time. I was also very thrilled at the thought of having it in my hands and watching my favorite serial on it. But I decided against getting tempted to buy it and explained my point to T. He was a little sad, but he forgot about it and got busy playing. Kids don't hang on to one thing, they are easily able to move ahead and shift the focus.

As adults, how difficult is it for us to resist such temptations in this digital world? On average, a person working in a good company at a good post has two mobile phones. One is for personal use, and another is to take official calls and check official e-mails. Is it really essential? Every person in the family has one mobile device for his/her own perusal. Many people have office notebooks and tablets for personal use. We just keep hoarding electronic devices thinking it will give us joy, it will keep us entertained, it will help us spend time in a better way. But how many people are really delighted and content with the invasion of electronic devices in their lives?

Electronic devices don't and can't replace human beings in your life. Family and friends in flesh and blood are essential, and it is vital to spend time with them and give time to them and make good memories. Devices don't help create memories, real people do! It is very beneficial to maintain the delicate balance between the family and your presence with /on the screens.

So, what is such a temptation that you resisted for your own good and for your family?