Where did the time go?

Most modern technology was created to help Americans save time. Kitchen appliances are supposed to make Mom's (or Dad's) job easier or faster. Access to the internet was to make the exchange of information faster. Cars were designed and improved to travel farther and faster. So where is all this time going? Weren't we promised more time for leisure activities or family time?

We all seem to be living increasingly crowded lives, yet we don't crowd them with relationships. We've limited human interaction so transactions go faster. Why go in the bank when you can use the ATM? Or stay in your car so you don't bump into anyone! At home, microwave ovens have sped up meal preparation, but what happened to the interaction with our moms when we were kids. Watching her make something. Asking questions. Playing a game while we waited for something to cook.

Instead of using our time to interact and invest in one another, we're working later or scheduling more activities, often spreading our family out to various venues. TV schedules force us to cut short our conversations, or we squeeze it into a 3-minute commercial break. DVR's actually add to the problem, as now you can fill all your time and watch shows in chunks as you have moments.

Rather than walk or take public transportation, we climb into our private carriages and navigate the streets. We forget there are other people in those boxes, and we consider it normal to react in ways that we would never act to another person. We've isolated ourselves so much we don't know how to interact when face to face with a stranger.

So what is our response? What can we do to take back or redeem our time? How do we renew social contact with our fellow man? It was a gradual slide, so we need a gradual rise back to connection.

Smile. Our fast-paced lives don't allow for much, so we should simply smile more. Show those around you that you recognize their humanity. You can add a wave, too, if you can manage it.

Ask someone about their day. Then listen to their response. I've used this as I work at Chick-fil-A. Many people's countenance changes when someone expresses interest in them. When someone asks you, move beyond "Fine." Be vulnerable. Explain why your day is fine. Or share where you're struggling. Who knows; you might make a friend!

Use your conveniences to build relationships, not do more "stuff." Many time-saving devices can be used to help build relationships instead of allowing us to cram our schedules full. Save time in one area so you can spend it meaningfully with someone else.

If we all take small steps, we can go a long way toward drawing closer together.