I saw this picture on a friend’s status update and burst out laughing. No, not because I do the judging, but because I have experienced being at the receiving end of judgement.

I have never denied that I am addicted to my phone. Hmm… ‘addicted’ may be a strong word, because I can very well go without it when I am otherwise occupied. But I’ll definitely go so far as to say that I use my phone A LOT. This, I have readily admitted to my near and dear ones too.

In my defence, everything I want to do is on my phone. The games I play—Sudoku, word games and the like. The messages from family, friends and, not to mention, foes. The banking. The ordering of groceries, fish, vegetables and takeaway food. The photos I take and share prolifically. The details about my walks and exercise routines. The weather. Details about my medications. Reminders to take them…

You name it, it is all there.

So yes, I would never deny that I use my phone a lot.

And yet, this happened to me.

I was on holiday with friends. One morning, the four of us were busy tidying up our things, while yakking away on the side. When we were done, each of us picked up our phones and started checking whatever interested us—Facebook or WhatsApp, or, in my case, my blog too.

All this while, one person from our group had been busy talking on the phone. She finished her long calls just as we settled down with our phones.

She looked up after putting her own phone away and, seeing all of us with our heads bent over our phones, remarked,

“Put away your phones, girls! You are ALWAYS stuck to your phones!”

There was irritation in her voice.

Like I said, I admit I, for one, am on my phone a lot. (That’s the third time I am writing this!) But…

I resent it when someone who was on the phone for quite a while until very recently—the only difference being that she was talking and not scrolling—tells you that you are on your phone too much.

Fair is fair.

Never accuse another of something that you yourself have been doing—or do as a matter of course—simply because you happened to be done with it at that particular point in time.

Now, THAT is my point.

©️ Shail Mohan 2026