I walked out of the house without my mobile phone. I didnt even have an iPad on me. It is 2014 and I walked out without my cell, and I never discovered it missing until I was at least 15 down the road. Had I been closer to home I would have turned my car around and retrieved it.

Once I discovered the phone was missing, I panicked. I wasnt just traveling to the nearest grocery story. I was planning to spend hours out, going at least 40 miles to meet a friend for lunch. I felt completely disconnected from the world.

The first thing I did was to stop at a gas station. God forbid my car would run out of gas while I was traveling without my cell. The thought of being stranded somewhere without communication was too much to bear.

I went into the ladies room and emptied my purse to make sure the phone wasn't hiding somewhere in it. No luck. It was nowhere in the purse, or in my pockets.

When I came out of the rest room I scanned the station for a public phone. Of course there was none. Nobody used a public phonenor did anyone have a landline in their home anymore.

I found myself driving more cautiously than before. God forbid I would have a car accident without my phone. Then I realized if I continued to drive at this slow pace I would be late for lunch, and without a cell phone I couldnt call my friend, so I speeded up. Thank God I knew how to navigate to my destination. My car wasn't equipped with a GPS.

I thought about my husband. He was out on a bicycle ride. If he needed me there was no way he could find me. Then again I was too far away to help him anyway.

Then I realized ADT Security couldnt contact me in case my house was burglarized, or burned down. Did I leave the dryer on, or the toaster plugged into the outlet?

Maybe I was traveling this far for nothing. My friend could be trying to call or message me to cancel the date. What other emails or messages was I missing? How frustrating to be in the dark.

Oh, how could I be so careless? It must be my age, or my hormones. Ive never done this before. I once left my wallet home, but then I had my phone to call my husband and he brought it to me.

My heart was racing as I tightly gripped the steering wheel. I should have gone back and just been late. Now I will have to drive home in the dark without the mobile. The weather station even predicted rain. I will just have to shorten our lunch date.

Finally I pulled into the shopping center. I let out a sigh of relief when my car was parked. I made sure my auto was locked, and I scanned the parking lot for stranger danger. I use to carry a whistle and a flashlight, but there was no need for those things now that I have the new digital devicesexcept for today when my digital devices are at home.

When I entered the restaurant, I ran up to my friend and blurted out, Im a wreck. I drove here without my cell phone. I left it home.

She smiled at me. No big deal. You made it through your first 60 years without a mobile phone. You can make it through a day.

I was relieved by her calm logical advicethat is until she answered her ringing cell.

Every once in a while we get tested by life, but that doesnt mean we should expect our friends to take the test with us.