The Tale of Missing Pocket

Every Sunday morning, the public garden near the lake filled with families, joggers, children with balloons, and elderly couples feeding pigeons. And almost every Sunday, Arjun sat on the same wooden bench near the fountain.

He was known among his friends as the one who always replied instantly. His phone never left his hand. Even while walking, he typed. Even while sitting with his parents, he scrolled. He believed that if he did not respond immediately, friendships would fade and opportunities would disappear.

One bright Sunday, while replying to three chats at once, Arjun stepped backward to take a selfie and walked straight into a lamp post. He was not badly hurt, but his phone slipped, hit the pavement, and the screen went completely dark.

For the first few minutes, panic took over. He tapped the screen repeatedly. Nothing. He shook it gently. Still nothing. His pocket suddenly felt empty and strange. He did not know where to look or what to do with his hands.

With nothing else to focus on, he slowly looked around.

A little girl nearby was trying to teach her grandfather how to blow soap bubbles. An elderly man was feeding crumbs to sparrows, smiling every time one hopped closer. A street musician sat under a tree, playing a soft melody on his flute. Arjun realised he had been coming to this park for years, yet he had never truly seen it.

He sat quietly for a while. The breeze felt cooler than usual. The fountain sounded louder. Life seemed slower.

Later, when his mother called him to help carry a bag of groceries from the car, he walked beside her instead of walking ahead while texting. They spoke about small things, about childhood memories, about nothing urgent at all. And for the first time in a long while, he felt present.

The broken phone turned out to be a small gift. It reminded Arjun that while the world inside a screen is endless, the world outside it is alive.

Flash: Sometimes we are so busy capturing moments that we forget to live them. Presence cannot be downloaded; it must be experienced. Real connection begins when screens pause.

Moral: Technology is a tool, not a substitute for attention. When we look up, we rediscover people, nature, and even ourselves.

The brightest notifications are often the smiles we almost miss !!