Staying Connected

It seems to me that we are altogether too “wired” to one another.

Like most business men and women I carry my iPhone wherever I go and am always checking it for everything from emails to stock quotes. It keeps me connected to my business, my home, the internet and just about anything else that I want to access.

But, last week I took a much needed break from work and spent a week flyfishing in a remote area of New Hampshire where my iPhone had no reception. At first I was anxious and used a nearby landline periodically to call the office. But I soon realized that I needed to connect with nature more than the office and began instead to invest my time in appreciating the remarkable beauty of the mountains and the haunting call of the loons rather than obsessing about work. I returned to my job much refreshed as a result.

It seems to me that we would all do well to stay connected with nature a bit better, particularly our children and grandchildren who are too often transfixed by computer games or text messaging. As design professionals we hope the next generation embraces sustainability as we do and seeks to preserve our natural environment. But how will they do so if we do not see that each of them gets frequent opportunities to enjoy all that Mother Nature has to offer?

I called my Godson when I returned and we are going flyfishing in three weeks – just to stay connected!