This Independence Day, I Choose The Freedom To Disconnect

I was once a voracious reader. I used to devour page after page as if each were part of a sumptuous meal. I used to buy books, read them during four painful hours of a commute and make notes of interesting sentences in my diary. Then, I used to pass them on to people who never returned them. But not anymore.

What happened to my love for reading? Well, honestly, I started loving my phone more than I loved my books. I got addicted to it. I started buying expensive covers for it. I began my day scrolling through my phone in my sleep. I ignored my parents, constantly texting on WhatsApp groups at the dinner table. I spent hours of my day immersed in cat videos, a great stress-buster in my opinion, but my mom would disagree.

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Till one day, when she gathered all those books, still intact and in their wrapping, and piled them up in my bedroom. That was the moment I realised I had become a slave to my phone. That every ping and every beep needed rapt attention. That was the moment I decided to pay heed to my addiction. That was the moment I realised that the world would not end if I missed a call, or ignored a text

That was the moment I decided to disconnect.

Not entirely, but one step at a time. Disconnecting is not easy. Try staying two hours without your phone and you will know what I am talking about. You might feel that the only way to disconnect is to pack your bags and head to cell tower-less destinations. But that¡¯s unnecessary. You can disconnect when you're in your city too. For example, I started going for long walks in my locality itself. I kept my phone on silent, but I did carry it with me, in case there was an emergency. I put all unnecessary WhatsApp groups on mute, and kept only the important ones active. I used the weekends to catch up on reading and met friends personally, instead of on WhatsApp or Facebook. And, I slept.

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As a result of these minor adjustments, I am slowly getting back to reading. I carry a book in my bag, instead of storing Game of Thrones episodes on my phone. Again, I am not completely disconnected from the world, but I prioritise. I avoid contact that I can do without. I'm comfortable enough to run away from aunties who engage in gossipy conversations, and I avoid ranting on social media because I know nobody cares.

Disconnecting has its consequences. But it all depends on how you look at them. For instance, I might be a little less cued up on what's happening in popular culture, but I am more at peace with myself. A ping no longer dictates how I spend my time.

This Independence day, I am choosing to disconnect. To be patriotic by not forwarding Independence Day forwards, but instead reading about my culture and the greats who got us freedom.

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Happy Independence Day!

Note: The views expressed in the article are the writer's own.