I’m staring at this computer screen, and I’m annoyed. So annoyed I could cry. Why? I’m annoyed because I’m ashamed of my recent behavior. I’ve become a hermit in a disconnect from the rest of the world.

See, I had surgery seven weeks ago, then I got really sick last week, and I’ve basically become a hermit. Thanks to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and email, I’ve been able to keep in touch with people. Oh, and texting. Can’t forget the good old smartphone.

I’m not out of the loop, but I haven’t spent quality time with people I love in more than a month.

Hermit level: 8.5

I recently watched a comedian on YouTube who talked about the difference between “company” showing up at your door today vs. 20 years ago. He said 20 years ago, when the doorbell rang, life inside the house stopped, and everyone from the oldest to youngest jumped with excitement at the opportunity to spend quality time with the mystery people behind the door. “Mom bought a special cake, and it was for company only” and the people on the other side of the door were usually “in the neighborhood” and wanted to stop by for a visit.

But heaven forbid someone ring the doorbell today. Everyone gets quiet, the TV is muted, the lights get turned off, and someone mutters, “I think they saw movement! Shh! Be quiet!”

I have to admit, I laughed pretty hard at this because I can totally relate. Especially being an introvert by nature, sometimes I’m just not in the mood for people. This makes me sad.

I watched it again and, laughing until I had tears in my eyes, I decided to look this comedian up. I found another video in which he talked about Chipotle employees. He said, “These poor people, they hear the same 20 words all day long—’chicken, sour cream, rice, beans.’ No one talks to them; customers just drool out the words of what they want on their burrito.”

Again, I laughed, but not nearly as hard and not for as long, as my humanity-loving heart started to think deeper.

When did we, as a society, become so blind and selfish? Or, when did we become so afraid of our own shadows and emotions that we stopped living the human experience?

With modern technology we have the power literally at our fingertips to communicate with people around the world instantaneously, and that’s fantastic! I have friends all over the world, but what about the girl behind the counter at Chipotle who just made me a burrito? Did I say hi to her? Did I even look her in the eye?

What about the disabled veteran who works at a Walmart checkout counter? Did I pay any attention to him? Was I kind? Or was I too much in a hurry, so consumed with my own thoughts and life that I didn’t even notice?

And just like everyone else, I get sucked into the screen daily. If I’m not catching up with friends in different time zones, I’m checking in with family, or reading articles about who knows what. And then sometimes, because I’m an introvert and I like pajamas, I will spend hours vegging out with Netflix.

I’m totally guilty.

But then I get an itch, a longing if you will, for human interaction. I need to look into someone’s eyes or hug my husband for an annoyingly long time.

We were not created to be robots behind a screen. We were created to be in relationships with other people and interact with animals and nature.

I will be married five years come this October and the hands-down, best time my husband and I ever had was when we took a cruise after his deployment. It was fantastic. We had zero service. No internet, no cell phones, no landlines. We could just be.

But you don’t have to go on a cruise for that kind of connection. Make a bucket list of outdoorsy things you’ve yet to do where you’re living, then tackle them one by one.

We as a society need to learn that it’s okay for us to disconnect. It may help us connect better with the people and the world around us.

Let’s get out from behind the screen and live the human experience.