And then I looked at us—my generation. Phones in hands, notifications pulling attention in every direction, moments spent alone even when we’re physically together. I’ve seen it in airports, I’ve seen it at restaurants, and unfortunately… I’ve even seen it in my own home.

Families could be sitting in the same room—but each person absorbed in their own screen. Yes, I am writing this article—but don’t get confused…I’m beyond guilty—I scroll, I check, I disconnect from reality. Moments that used to nurture real connection feel beyond- beyond- BEYOND rare, fragmented, and distant.

Older generations spoke about the spaces where life just “lifed”. Communities “communitied”. Connection was made. Where, you might ask? The ahwa, the nadi where generations would just go after school or uni… my Teta told me they used to spend so much

of their time at the Plajue—and that she met my Gido there (UGH MY HEART—AWWWWW). Anyways. Back to my point. These weren’t just physical spaces; they were places where conversations lingered, friendships grew, and life felt connected. You simply

just existed with others, and that was enough. That is what community truly stands for…well, at least in my opinion.

This is where the concept of “first, second, and third places” becomes clear. The sociologist Ray Oldenburg explains that our lives revolve around three types of spaces. The first place is home, the private space where we live with family. The second place is work or school, structured environments where our time is mostly functional. And the third place is where real connection happens: informal social spaces like cafés, clubs, community gathering spots, or streets where people naturally interact. (The ahwa, nadi, Plajue, theaters, El Corniche, and even mosques were all third places.) These were spaces that nurtured community, conversation, and real human connection.

Egyptian ahwa in the 1950s

And it makes me wonder… if this is how we are now, addicted to screens, disconnected from each other, and losing touch with the simple joys of life, what will it look like by the time we have kids? Will they even have a childhood in the way even WE as a generation knew? Will their third places exist at all, or will everything be mediated through screens?

Even if we can’t fully reclaim the spaces or ways the older generations had, we should SERIOUSLY try, in small ways, to properly step away from our phones, be way more present with the people around us, and nurture real connections whenever possible. It’s a conscious choice. To slow down, to connect, and to remember what life feels like beyond the screen.