"I wish I would have spent more time on Facebook"....said no one on their death bed. EVER.

How many of us are guilty of looking at our smart phones or computers to check on other people's Facebook statuses (mostly people we hadn't even talked to since high school until Facebook came along) instead of being in the moment with our loved ones? Who among us is addicted to Minecraft (I call it "Minecrack"), Words with Friends, or my husband's favorite, Candy Crush? Do you catch yourself mumbling "uh huh" or answering your child's or spouse's question without even taking your eyes off the screen? (only to forget the details of the conversation later)

I am very much guilty of looking at my phone more than I should to check emails, texts, and Facebook. So is my husband. And guess what...we now have two children who are addicted to their own electronics and will spend hours on end with those gadgets. I know kids have a natural attraction to toys like that, but I'm sure they also learn by what they are exposed to.

If I have just five more years to live, do I want to spend those 1,825 days looking at another stupid cat photo or reading a friend's status that tells me what they're having for supper? Or should I be more in the moment with my friends and family...especially my children and husband? I'm not saying that I need to totally walk away from Facebook because I do enjoy seeing photos of my beautiful great nieces and nephews and reading about accomplishments and funny stories of friends. But I'm pretty sure life will go on if I don't look at those status updates hourly. However, my kids will grow up before my eyes. In five years, they will be 14 and 16. What kinds of things will I miss if I don't give them the attention they deserve? Will Anna not tell me about a bully at school for fear of making me mad if she interrupted me as I answer an email? Will Ben turn to a friend to ask important questions about drugs if he thinks I look too busy? Will my husband feel ignored or lonely when I don't engage him in conversation after the kids go to bed?

Maybe family units were much stronger before electricity when the parents and children worked side by side on the farm or family business without the distractions of today's gadgets and fast-paced lifestyles. They had meals together without sitting in front of the TV. They listened to each other without being interrupted by an incoming text message. They read books to each other, played games together, and loved one another. Kids weren't pulled in different directions with dance classes, music lessons, ball practices, and more. Life was simpler, and perhaps the family bonds were stronger. On the other hand, families may be stronger today with modern technology. It doesn't take all day to wash laundry...leaving more time to spend doing other things with the family. Air conditioning exists, so people aren't hot and grumpy and yelling at each other. And at a moment's notice, you can open the freezer to find your favorite ice cream flavor. The "olden" days had its advantages, and we have ours. But I digress.

In my mind, I have just five more years to live. I don't want to take my last breath wishing I had done things differently.  I'm going to put my phone and computer down more when the kids are around. I will strive to do more important things in my life such as helping others instead of watching the next hilarious video on Facebook. Don't be mistaken...I want to stay in touch with the ones I love near and far...but I will make a concerted effort to curb my electronic addiction. Seriously...I'm sure no one will ever say on their death bed, "I wish I would have made it to level 250 on Candy Crush!" Well, maybe my friend Krista.