I recently had the honor of attending my school musical, “The Little Mermaid.” It was put on by my very talented friends of whom worked extremely hard on this production.

You could tell as they bowed on stage for the last time that they left everything they had on the stage. Though fatigued, their eyes were bright with victory. As they should be, it was an amazing show.

Oak Park has some of the best singers in the state, which is needed for a musical, especially one that everyone knows well.  It was well done. I am glad I truly got appreciate the talent and work that went into it. Want to know why? I wasn’t checking my phone every five minutes, pulling my attention elsewhere.

The day that I went to see them musical, I was on a three-day phone detox, meaning I was going without my phone for three days. Some of you may gasp in shock, and some of you may just shrug your shoulders.

When I told people what I was doing, most gasped in shock as if the thought of turning of their phone for three days in a row was too much to fathom. I can’t blame them.

I felt like I was trying to put on a musical all by myself completely unprepared and forgot all my lines. I walk through the halls of Oak Park and see teenagers on their phone, consumed by them. I feel like we use technology as a crutch; it disables us.

For the three days I went without my phone, I accomplished so much. I had extra time in the morning because I didn’t spend 15 minutes looking at social media. I wasn’t distracted during the lesson in class. I spent more time with my friends: quality time. I watched the musical and absorbed every musical moment that it had to offer. I lived in the moment of the thriving atmosphere. My nose was tickled by the bubbles released in the air. Not once did I look down at my phone.

Technology and cell phones specifically, take you out of the moment. So much is missed.

There is a sort of beauty in the way technology cultivates our learning environment and brings a new sort of creativity to light. That cannot be denied. We have so more at our finger tips than the generations before us ever had.

But there are some fundamental values that have been neglected as the era of technology took over. We, and I do say we, lack appreciation.

Our expectations have rose far beyond the levels of what we deserve. We don’t need the next iPhone; we don’t really deserve it either. What have we done to contribute to the good of the world yet- unless you have a job and pay for your phone yourself.

We need to start appreciating all that is simply handed to us, for most of us have no idea the amount of work that goes into those gifts.

So today, I dare you to put down your phone for a moment or two, and appreciated everything around you.

Thank those who provide for you.

Live in the moment.

Don’t use technology as a crutch: let it compliment what you can accomplish.