In real life, we face a similar equation. We, as parents, think we are in control of our relationship with gadgets, but at the end of the day, they are controlling us. The mouse becomes the cat. And we are at its mercy.

Nevertheless, preaching from our higher ground, we demand our kids to limit their use of technology. “Less screen time,” we say, “and more outdoor time.” And we encourage them to explore nature and be amazed by the miracle of creation, leaving the digital life behind as if it were a curtain shrouding reality. However, we ourselves cannot imagine living life without our screens. They are our window into the world. Our rosary. Our Stations of the Cross. Our precious (as Gollum would say). Our new religion.