I was in a long line at Starbucks this morning, happily waiting to feed my coffee addiction, when I noticed almost everyone looking down at their smartphones. This reminded me of a conversation I had at dinner the other night with friends, about how hard it seems for many young singles to meet "someone."
Half my married friends met their significant others while in college or grad school. A few of us, including me, were set up on blind dates through family or friends. The rest met their soul mates by chance.
But does chance, stand a chance anymore?
It used to be if you were waiting in line, browsing the produce section, early for class, or simply bored at a party, you struck up a conversation, or at the very least, made eye contact with someone, because let's face it there was nothing else to do.
Now people reach for their phones. Heaven forbid we don't have something to do with our hands. The uncomfortable silence or lack of stimulation is just too much to bear.
So how does anyone meet each other anymore? Does the "meet cute" that we see on television or in the movies really exist? Maybe, my generation just worked harder at it, because the luxury of Internet dating didn't exist.
My advice to the lonely hearts out there who want to make a love connection is put down your phones. Strike up a conversation. Your future love interest could be standing right in front of you... ordering a soy latte.
This post was previously published on Carpool Goddess.