Page 43 of When We Were Young
“Sweetyou.” Landon leaned in and kissed her. The sort of kiss that took Ashley’s breath. The storm rolling in was only part of the magic of the night.
After another long kiss, Landon stepped back. “Let’s take that walk.” He put his arm around her shoulders again and they started out. “So what’s on your mind?”
Ashley had to think a bit to put it into words. “Kari told me something about a couple in their Bible study. They’re having trouble in their marriage.” She glanced at Landon and then back at the ground ahead of them. “I guess social media is putting a wedge between them.”
“Hmm.” Landon nodded. “That’s a big problem for a lot of people.”
“Kids, too.” They lived on ten acres, and they were taking a familiar path. The one that led to the stream behind the house. “I think I know why it was keeping me up.”
“Tell me.” Landon removed his arm and took her hand instead. He worked his fingers between hers.
And like that the story spilled out, one that Ashley had been carrying since earlier that week. “Cole and I talked about his generation, and how everyone’s caught up in comparison.” She slowed down and looked at Landon. “It’s terrible. The way things are.”
“It is.” Landon led her past their niece’s new tree. It had grown a foot since they planted it. They continued on the path until they reached the stream.
Ashley knew where he was taking her. To the huge rock that sat on the edge of the creek, the place where Ashley and her siblings would gather when they were kids, when they needed time alone or time together. Their secret place.
When they reached the rock, Ashley and Landon both climbed up and sat side by side. It was still damp from the rain, but not enough to soak through their clothes. The moon was directly overhead, just like Landon had said. Thunder rolled, maybe a few miles away by the sound of it. But here, the moving creek water and surrounding trees made the storm seem a million miles away.
“It’s crazy.” Ashley pulled her knees up and stared at the creek. “Cole’s friends are on Twitter and Instagram and Snapchat. Some of them still have Facebook accounts.” She sighed. “They’re so busy making sure everyone knows what’s great about their life, they don’t have time to live it.”
“True.” Landon sounded troubled. “We had a suicide call last week. The girl survived, but she told the doctor and her parents that she couldn’t keep up. It didn’t matter that she had four hundred followers on Instagram, she had never been more lonely.” He paused. “Finally she couldn’t take it anymore.”
Ashley took a slow breath. “I read the saddest thing the other day about kids Cole’s age.” She shifted so she could see Landon better. “It was an article that said fewer people believe in Jesus and why He came to earth. That He died for them.”
“I read that, too.” Landon took her hand and smoothed his thumb over hers. “How since the 1960s the United States has conducted this great experiment: life without God.”
“Yes.” Ashley nodded. She felt the hurt in her heart again, the way she had when she read the story. “Clearly that experiment has failed.”
“Right.” Landon nodded. “This generation is asking questions. They get hundreds of likes in a week, but no one likes them in real life. They love dozens of posts every day, but they don’t love themselves. They put on a picture-perfect face for social media, but they’re terrified of the truth: None of them has a clue about their futures. Why they’re here. The purpose of life.”
Ashley thought about Cole’s friends. “Kids need to help each other. Get off social media. Limit it to one day a week. Something.”
Landon leaned back on his free hand and stared at the night sky. “It’s like Pastor Mike said last week. People are slaves to the tyranny of the trivial.”
“Exactly.” Ashley slid a little closer to her husband so their arms touched. Overhead, thunder clapped a little closer than before. “All that time on social media. What does it even matter? Real life. That’s what counts. Time with God and the people you love.” She looked up and kissed him. “Moments like this.”
“Mmmm.” He took gentle hold of her face and touched his lips to hers again. “A virtual life could never compare.”
For a long time they were quiet, leaning against each other, watching the moonlight on the gentle water below. It felt like a scene from heaven, like all of time had stopped so they could share these minutes together.
Ashley was first to break the beautiful silence. “I’m glad you and I aren’t slaves to the Internet.” She smiled up at him. “I’m not willing to give up this... for emptiness like that.”
“However...” His eyes sparkled. He kissed her again. “I wouldn’t mind ending a moment like this for a different kind of moment back in the house.”
“True.” Ashley never broke eye contact with him. “Lead me home, baby.”
Landon smiled and helped her down from the rock. On the way back to the house, Ashley was keenly aware of every detail. The sound of the creek behind them, the autumn wind in the trees overhead. The approaching storm and the feel of Landon’s arm around her. The way Amy’s little elm tree had taken root in the backyard like it had been there forever.
What was this generation missing, spending so much time on smartphones and iPads and computers? Comparing themselves to other people and getting crushed a little more each day? Before they reached the house, an idea hit Ashley. She stopped and faced Landon. “I just thought of something.”
A quiet chuckle came from his lips. “Of course you did.”
She wrinkled her nose a little. “I guess I do that a lot.” She uttered a soft laugh.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Landon drew her close and kissed her once more. “Tell me your idea.”
“Let’s make a family challenge. From now through New Year’s Day, let’s stay off social media. Our kids don’t have to compare Christmas gifts and vacations with hundreds of people. Let’s just live our life.”
