A commentary by a Victoria resident.

I’ve taken B.C. Ferries for 41 years, and something struck me last week: the silence.

Walking among hundreds of people seated together, nearly everyone was glued to their phones.

I searched in vain for conversation and found none.

Raising two small children, this stands out to me now like never before.

Whether on the bus, the ferry, or in a coffee shop, the sounds of conversation, laughter, and community feel increasingly absent.

I often feel like I’m shepherding children through a world where people are physically present but........

© Times Colonist