I got a new IPhone this month. My old one died of obsolescence, planned or otherwise. It just stopped working well. I also learned through the replacement process that I hadn’t backed up my phone in a very long time, unfortunately. But there was stuff, I was told, that I could do to get all my information onto my new phone. The nametag-less, red-shirted Apple helpful-person began to walk me through the steps. I told him I was OK and was happy with the information that transferred. He asked me if I was sure and I told him that I thought this might be a sign – a type of Karmic cleanse. It occurred to me at that moment that obsolescence is not limited to equipment. It is something that occurs naturally in life as one grows, gets older and priorities change. There were photos on my phone that I didn’t need to look at anymore. There were texts that I didn’t need to go back and read. My Favorites list was not real. There were people that I lost touch with – or those that lost me – that I didn’t need to see anymore in my contacts. Visual manifestations of the past can cause as much pain as joy. The people, places and things in my life that I need live with me, not in my phone. So far, I don’t think I’ve missed anything and no one is reaching out to me either, asking where I’ve been and why I haven’t been in touch. I like the positive aspects of obsolescence. It re-sets the present by putting you in the moment – the place where we should all be living. Stay mindful. Be kindful.
