I don’t see anyone in their life these days. I challenge you to walk one block, whether you’re in the suburbs or the city. I’d bet that 90% of the people you pass are looking at a device, risking getting run over by a car, or they’re talking to someone on their device. Parents have to fight with their kids to get off their phones, even at mealtime. It’s actually rare to hear a parent say that devices are not allowed at the dinner table. That is crazy.

The whole “Be here now” concept no longer exists. Sure, you might be one of those who doesn’t allow devices at the dinner table—woo hoo! But what about the other 23 hours of the day when your kids or even your partner are glued to their devices?

I don’t know where this is going. I hope we don’t all get brain cancer. Cell phones have only been commercially available for around 40 years, compared to the millions of years humans have been on this planet. But even worse is that no one is present in their life anymore. The most important interaction in life is completely missing. How can you possibly listen to another human being while you’re looking at your device?

How often have you seen the person you are with distracted by a beep, buzz, or ding on their phone? How important does that make you feel? In fact, we all make allowances for that. “Sure, if you get an important call, no problem—just drop me, we are friends?” That’s a weird statement, but I make it all the time. So I guess that makes our device the most important person in our life, doesn’t it?

We all need to spend a lot more time trying to be present in our lives and turn our devices off. Or at least spend a lot less time on them. Being present is not just a quaint idea—it’s essential for meaningful connections and a fulfilling life. Let’s challenge ourselves to put down the phone and truly engage with the world and the people around us.