Even though my entire life is immersed in electronics, I did have a digital awakening today that took me completely by surprise.

I am very much aware that many younger people own and are addicted to a smartphone or tablet. What I didn’t realize is how much people our age rely on them too.

I got a taste of it in the surgical waiting room today at Lenox Hill Hospital. Eliot had a hernia operation very early this morning, and I spent eight hours with the same group of people waiting for our loved ones to come out of surgery. Unlike other experiences like this when people were uptight and tense during “the wait” period, I noticed a strange calm and Zen-like atmosphere in the room.

Then I realized the difference. Everyone was glued to a mobile device. And I mean everyone. From children who came to Lenox Hill with their game devices to 90-year-olds who were reading a book on Kindle or Nook, everyone came armed with their favorite electronics to pass the time. It was interesting to see who was using what, and what programs captured their time.

I snuck around to see what was going on. Some were on Facebook while others were playing word games, reading online newspapers and magazines, sending emails, or yakking on their cells. Whatever it was, they were absorbed. Not a head bobbed up for hours. And when it did, it was to go to the bathroom or to get something to eat. Once that was done, straight back to the electronics.

I couldn’t help noticing the huge difference in the temperament of the crowd. Most of the usual pent-up anxiety was gone. They waited patiently for the surgeons to return from the operating room. I even witnessed something I never saw before. One gal was talking on the phone when the doctor who operated on her mother appeared. She actually kept him waiting while she finished her conversation. I thought to myself “Wow, what is that doctor thinking? Maybe he has seen this before.”

For better or worse, personal electronics have put many of us in our own zone. Like everything else in life, we have to find a balance that makes sense. I have a feeling it will take care of itself.

Eliot is feeling good tonight. I hope the rest of his post-op goes well. Thank you for all of your calls and good wishes.