We are knee deep in the digital age, and everything around us is becoming faster by the second. Our eyes are glued to the screen, switching from one to another. We take a break from our day at the office staring at a computer screen by playing a few games or texting on the smaller screen of our phone. Books and organizational tools, such as calendars and post-it notes, are heading to the digital medium as well. There is hardly a moment of rest.
Paper switches to pixels, and it’s time for most of us to get with modern times. However, not all are fully immersed in the digital world. There is a reason why some things remain a “classic”. Calendars, for me, are just one of the few things that I will not regret switching back to, in spite of the small features now missing. No more notifications for the next meeting or a friend’s birthday. Instead of beeping noises and music, drawn circles and handwriting are back in my home.
Track of Time
Perhaps I’m an old soul, but I like the feeling of flipping through the pages, brushing my fingers across the paper. It helps acknowledge the passing of time, with each month understanding you’re getting closer to closing another year of your life. In today’s fast-paced world, keeping track of time is not as easy. One day blurs into the other and the other. Ripping off the page of a classic calendar, you have the chance to think about the past and better understand your life. You may see very differently your successes and your failures. I think that this has a therapeutic effect.
They say that living the same way each year is not living. Something has to be different, do something that makes this one memorable. That is why it’s crucial to keep track. The app on your phone might be able to tell you that, but you won’t feel it in your hand. A classic calendar is palpable. And, for a brief moment, so is time.
Home is Not Your Workplace
The app on your phone is incredibly practical. You can set up dates and times of meetings or deadlines, and have it tell you precisely what you have coming. However, due to our dependence on smartphones, we have come to carry our work with us everywhere. It’s always there, and notifications do not stop just because we’re off the clock. With a classic calendar, though, you do not have your work life pestering and making noises.
Keep it for your personal life only, and you will see the difference. Write down birthday dates or perhaps anniversaries. For example, you know weeks ahead what are your special days in April and you know it’s time to go shopping for a gift. It can stand on your desk or your bedside table, there to see, so you know some important things are coming. Instead of going through your phone to check every scheduled day, a classic calendar with a wonderfully classic circled date will always keep it in your mind and sight.
More Meaning
Most apps are generic and lack personality. There are customization features, but they are often limited and lack that personal touch you can add to your calendar. You are stuck with a layout that the developer set for you, or perhaps a set of them. For me, the classic calendar can feature my touch. I can take advantage of the digital age and create my own, placing pictures with whatever I please, reshape, and resize to my heart’s desire.
Even more, a personalized calendar would make a great gift. At the very least, for old souls like me. I like looking at the images that trigger a certain feeling attached to the season. One picture of a daisy on June and I can already inhale the scent. Spring is completely over, and summer is in full bloom. I can smell the snow come December and can remember last year’s holidays with a picture of my family on Christmas Day. It may be novel, but my phone can’t inspire the same.
Awareness
We have something palpable at our fingers with the help of a classic calendar. We can touch it, so it brings a whole other experience when it comes to awareness. You know that book you’ve always wanted to write? Perhaps you’ve understood the steps, but inspiration is not always there. Try switching from your computer to a pen and you will understand what I mean. The words flow differently from your hand to the paper, in beautiful cursive writing that has a unique charm lost on today’s equal and symmetrical digital letters.
A classic calendar will enhance this awareness the same way. You can cross the days off and understand the passing of time. It’s not a notification that sounds like an impending threat, but a journey.
Nostalgia is undoubtedly part of my decision. Perhaps I just like the classic calendars that sit on my bedside table or hang on the wall. It helps me keep track in a way that my family can see it. Put it on the fridge and circle an upcoming holiday, and it’s a beautiful reminder for everyone in the house. It gives us something to look forward to together, a note of the wonderful times that are just over the horizon. No app will ever do that for me.
Photo Credit
Photo is from depositphotos
Guest Author Bio
Samuel Caverly
Samuel Caverly is a geek. He is fascinated by stars, spends his days drawing and designing. Sam likes the traditional and hopes that more people surrounding him will follow his footsteps
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Shannon Hogan Cohen says
nicely stated – agree 100%, thanks for sharing.