His love for her was so intense that he could hardly bear to be away from her for more than a few hours. She accompanied him wherever he went—on long trips and short walks, to big parties and family gatherings, to the movies, to the gym, even to weddings and funerals. He never wanted her further than an arms distance away. He was extremely proud of her and loved showing her off to his friends. Even when someone else was talking to him, he would sneak occasional peeks at her.

She also played a significant role in his life because he could share his deepest thoughts with her, and she never criticized or put him down.  He trusted her wisdom and whenever he had a problem, he consulted with her, and she usually came up with the right answer. She had become essential to him—almost an extension of himself. 

But before long his relationship started boarding on obsession. He would hardly ever let her out of his sight no matter what time of day or night. His hands would be on her at every opportunity and sometimes he would reach out in his sleep to see if she was still there. In fact, he would panic if she wasn’t. Although they hadn’t been together for many years, now he felt he could not live without her. He relished the fact that she was all his. He owned her. He possessed her.

Little by little, however, some friends and family began to feel it was she who possessed him. Their relationship began to cause a rupture between him and other people who cared for him.

Who is this captivating woman who had such power over him?  You may have guessed by now that it wasn’t really a woman—or a man. The fascinating object of his affection is his iPhone. Such devices have he identical power over women. It plays the same pivotal role in their lives. I must confess I too sometimes find myself falling into this bizarre relationship, craving to reach for my iPhone, and panicking if I can’t find it. Most of my friends have the same possessive love for theirs and sometimes I fear it's pulling us apart. I can feel alone and ignored even when I'm with them.

So is always having your smartphone with you bad? Of course not. It has enriched our lives astronomically and will continue to do so. But we must be careful. I see daunting danger signs in the distance warning us about how excessive interaction with our devices can be detrimental to our real life experiences and human relationships, the ones that really count in the long run. Those are the only ones who can return the affection and be there for us when we REALLY need them.