Unlike my wife, I am the last person to want to want to strike up a conversation with a stranger in airport or on a plane.  I prefer catching up on reading while traveling.  However, if someone asked me a question or I saw or heard that someone needed help, I would respond. Being isolated in a world of personal electronics cannot be for the betterment of society.  It limits our interactions and sensitivity to others.  It decreases our awareness of our fellow human beings and their needs.  It stunts our communication skills.

May I suggest that like potato chips, Oreo cookies and watching American Idol (all things we love but that may not be good for us), we try and use moderation and balance how we use consumer electronics that isolate us from the rest of the human race.

Perhaps for Random Acts of Kindness Week, we all can lay down the iPod for an hour or two and agree to pay more attention to our fellow humans by extending a hand to a stranger.