Can the Modern World Switch Off? – Perhaps Not

Sitting on the Black Palace Beach in Dubai overlooking The Palm Jumeirah with SM, I started to wonder can the Modern World Switch Off.

Viewing those on the beach I began to have my doubts.

We are currently visiting the Grandchildren and as we are now retired we can clearly just switch off and take things nice and slow, so observing others at the beach was rather enlightening.

While we were chilled, sunbathing, swimming and occasionally strolling along the kilometre long beach between royal palaces, it was clear that many while at the beach were unable to just take it nice and slow.

Many of those walking along the tide line were in deep conversations on their phones, with a number passing us on a few occasions still on the phone and at times rather irate. Many sunbathing were also continually on their phones, their eyes and fingers moving continually unaware of anything going on around them.

There were others clearly striving to maintain some fitness and perhaps lose some weight, but by their appearance were fighting a loosing battle, but I guess at least trying.

One couple passed us at least 4 times and were clearly in the middle of an argument that was steadily increasing in intensity until, they passed us again , but now not walking together.

As the morning progressed and the beach got busier, more people arrived, and my attention was now focused on their appearance.

Some were clearly like lobsters having arrived in Dubai and chosen to not apply any suncream on their initial excursions, but now liberally applying it to try not to burn in the ever-increasing heat.

Others who were obviously residents and were a deep mahogany in colour and seeking to test whether skin cancer from too much sun bathing was purely a myth.

The stature of those also varied tremendously, some who were not the least bothered about the consequences of carry an extra 4 or 5 stone and clearly obese, to those that were clearly seeking to prove that eating nothing and being purely skin and bone was a healthy alternative.

Now it is not for me to judge, but clearly, I have an opinion on what is realistic, and there are extremes at both ends of the spectrum, but over indulgence seems to currently trump a recommended BMI of less than 25 to be healthy.

What I can also report is that most of you, even when chilling out at the beach, are unable or unwilling to just switch off and enjoy the moment. With the majority being overweight and not too fit, but I think would all say if asked that they were actually fit and healthy, deluded or what!

But no matter what, people appear to be obsessed with either trying too hard or just not bothering, what ever happened to being just right, but then again, as I have often said like Mary Poppins and I, are nearly perfect in every way.