Smartphones and our Elders

Remember the days of having to press a key hundred of times to type a text ? #nokia1100waledin. 

Just imagine you are given those keypad mobile phones now and told to survive with them on 100sms/day and no internet facility, I swear you can't! Technology has come a really long way from Orkut to Instagram, from Java to Android and from color TV to smart TVs. We all grew with the technology but someone who was left behind in this race were our elders. And its not because they are not intelligent enough and we are some sort of unidentified Einsteins, but its because they came in terms with these devices at a very later stage of their lives unlike us who are glued to these gadgets 24*7.

Let's go back the memory lane, the times when we knew nothing, our parents taught us to utter words, crawling, eating, walking and the list goes on. And when we look back they did all this so happily and patiently. Having my own niece at home and watching her grow I know how annoying kids can be at times, but we deal with them so calmly. On the other hand when it comes to our elders, we are not so patient in teaching them; especially technology. We do explain them things quite happily for the first time but when they ask us about the same thing again and again, we start loosing our cool. This is where problem arrives, they become hesitant and the gap between them and technology grows.

I realized it when my nephew was using a gaming app and I asked him about it, he rolled his eyes and was like Aap kya kroge sikh ke ? And it hit me hard, what I was doing all these years with my elders came to me back. And I don't blame him, because we were in the same boat at the end. When we are not helping our parents how do we expect our upcoming generations to help us. They will ultimately learn from us only.

What we need to work on is composure, handling their queries with the same love and affection in which they handled ours when we were kids. Its our turn to return the warmth we received from them, to become their tutors and help them explore the world that we are living on that 5 inches screen. Have you ever noticed that magical smile on their faces when they find an old friend on social media. The way their eyes light up when that old friend text them after so many years. That joy on their faces is much precious than any diamond in the world.

Just think about it how easier it will make our lives, when we are staying away from them, loneliness is so challenging, but video calling and social media can help them in staying connected with us. From grocery shopping, paying internet and electricity bills, to making bank transactions online, all these can be done by them at comfort of their homes. Be it ordering food or watching their favorite movie or booking a cab everything is on their finger tips. They do not have to go here and there for fulfillment of these tasks. They will be so independent only if we help them the way they helped us.

Please don't come up with excuses now, like you are busy, there's no time and this is your career growth period and bla bla bla. Remember no amount of money or success can take place of time spent with family. You may be able to share only the technical things with them but if you listen they can share much more than that. Prioritize them other things will automatically fall in place.

Technology makes everyone feel old, what's new today will be old after a decade. So just keep sharing what you know because Sabka time aaega.