~:[CH12 - Day 166]:~ Where We're Headed

 
~:[CH12 - Day 166]:~ Where We're Headed

I took a train last night to Arashiyama. It was a bit exhausting to go from USJ to Arashiyama, but worth it. The trains don't run too early and in order to truly enjoy this area, it's best to get there early, I took an early morning walk at 5am to enjoy the empty forest. It isn't always empty as people slowly started to trickle in, but still, I did my best to enjoy as much of it as I could before they arrived. While the lighting isn't as good, I realized it was a good choice as the crowds after 10am were quite ridiculous. I do miss the days were only a handful of people were allowed in, but I'm sure the businesses appreciate the crowds; the locals, maybe not so much so. Throughout the day, as I made my way to Arashiyama and Osaka, I was reminded about how technology has been such a benefit and hindrance to us. I bumped into and had to avoid a few people who didn't even look up and I noticed the lack of interaction among people as their attention were turned down. It was while people were wandering through the forest or in sights of such beauty that they finally peered up and saw what they were missing. Social media also has made some of these "hidden gems" not so hidden anymore. In someways, it's great that you can find some of these places, whereas it troublesome when the crowds are too big so you can't truly enjoy it. I guess it's all about balance. I have to keep myself in check as well. How do you ensure you keep yourself on pace without allowing it to overwhelm us. I think with the emergence of IA, we will face the question of, how much technology is too much. Regardless, I hope that instead of looking at what our screens can show us, we can head in the direction that we can see what the world can show us. I ended the night down in the Hommachi area, walked over to Dotonbori navigating the crowds, then enjoy the rest of the evening relaxing and prepping for tomorrow's presentations. I sent messages to my friends, realizing how technology has been good in helping us progress and stay connected, but I'll always have to remind myself to look up and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us on our pathway of life.