Living in condition Yellow.

Before you all think this some militant condition of readiness. Condition Yellow is a trained state of mind that will benefit every last one of us. In our modern fast paced world, full of amazing technological advancements. From the phone you carry in your pocket that is definitively more powerful and faster than anything we have seen before. To the automobiles we find ourselves driving, or not driving as Tesla and Google have shown us in the recent past with self driving cars.  We can receive movies, text messages, email, videos, pictures, social media and the like at the touch of a button. We developed these technologies to make our lives easier. Have they? I notice that the items such as "snail" mail is now reserved mainly for utility bills and packages from Amazon. To type or even voice dictate letters to loved ones and coworkers in a short period of time and they receive them just as fast. But with social media we can now use the phone to see people across the globe. Flying to that meeting in London or Hong Kong, Why? just head to the nearest meeting website and video conference while still in your underwear.

But there has been a cost to us using this "lifesaving" technology not even day in and day out but minute to minute. We bury our faces in these technologies all day and forget to look at the world around you. So this entry is going to come from the humanitarian side but it will work both ways.

I am going to challenge you and I hope you take it seriously. The next time you head out with the family unit to the big box store or out for ice cream, leave your phone on vibrate and in your pocket or purse. If you really want to get the feel of what situational awareness really is, leave the phone at home or in the car. Hopefully, we all keep our eyes on the road but what about that moment we pull into the parking lot? Are we more worried about finding that perfect spot or are we keeping an eye out for anything out of place? What about once you find that spot and get the auto parked, are you looking for people loitering and looking suspicious? What about the poor little old lady that took a spill two cars over? Did you notice that? Or were you more interested in the latest trending post?

Once out of the car and trying to corral the young ones into a fairly close circle around you to keep them out of traffic did you notice the gentleman in the wheelchair having an issue with getting the cart into the cart corral? You need one anyway right? Converse with him. I am pretty sure he will be willing to let you take the cart.

Once inside the store do you do a once around glance to get your bearing in the store that you have been to four times this week and it's only Tuesday? Or are you trying to still keep the kids together while plopping the youngest in the cart. Of course we all take a quick glance at the others in the aisle but did you notice the young boy hiding his face out of fear because he lost his parents? Or that one young punk stuffing treats down his Levi's? Not your problem right?

Once you have collected the children and your future purchases and moved your way to the front of the store did you notice the young woman not tall enough to reach an item on the top shelf? Once at the checkout have you noticed the sombre look on the cashiers face? Finding out a family member might not make it through the night?

Outside once more did you notice two aisles over the fender bender that you would have witnessed if you drew your eyes upward? Or that the guilty party drove away before the victim could exit there vehicle to get a plate number that would have been clearly seen by you?

But as you get in the car you failed to notice the guy hanging around a car near you acting shady. As you open the door to your car you find yourself face to face with a weapon. Could this have been avoided? You bet. If you would have left that phone in the pocket, paid attention to the other humans around you, you may have helped numerous people in acts of real kindness and possibly saved your life and the lives of those you hold dear.

Condition Yellow is not just about situational awareness from a tactical point of view but from that side of life we have truly lost. Human contact. no wonder our children have difficulty communicating their thoughts and feelings with others without becoming so offended they do the things we complain about everyday.