The past few days
Early last week, on Sunday or Monday, I realized Lent was coming, and soon. As I researched the different traditions of Lent I came upon one which is considered to be the most traditional. After some consideration I chose to follow this one. It meant then that Lent for me was going to start in just a few days, on Ash Wednesday. It also follows the 40 days as being all but the Sunday's, between Ash Wednesday and Easter.
Before I had looked into this though I had already made a decision as to what I would forgo. It really was not so much my thinking about it, as much as I believe it was inspired. So for the 40 days, other than the Sunday's, my smartphone will be turned off of any data use. The purpose of this is to stay off all forms of social media during Lent, except again on the Sunday's.
Even on my business computer and personal laptop I will not be accessing Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, or any other related communication apps. The only digital based communication I will be using, Monday to Saturday each week, is email and texting.
I have done this before, for a week or two, but those were during times when I was busy with different things. Such as this past summer in August, when four of us were in Herrnhut Germany working alongside of those at Jesus Haus to host a prayer conference. With all our chores and preparation and time exploring the local area, then being very busy once the conference began... Well it did not really seem like a big change, as there was little time to miss it anyway.
Now with more time on my hands, I thought at first this is going to be more difficult. Admittedly it was tempting those first few days to turn on my data. Soon though something unexpected happened, I was actually feeling a sense of relief. I had not realized how often I was using those apps, nor how much I was emotionally tied to them. Checking my phone every few hours to see if there were any new messages, or likes, or...
I was spending way too much time on these things, especially Facebook and watching videos people posted from the variety of talent shows that are now on television. I really enjoy seeing and listening to the raw unknown talent, especially the singers. However since it is so enjoyable I frequently loose track of time and before I know it hours have gone by.
This past Sunday, when I did turn on my data, I was not so engrossed with it as I thought I might be. In fact I checked it far less often than I would have on any other given day, prior to this. I did those things I enjoy doing, playing Scrabble for one 😉, but soon found that just a few minutes, rather than a few hours, was enough.
Also that sense of relief I began to experience last week has now settled down into something else unexpected, many somethings really. I feel more calm, well rested, less anxious, and dare I say even happier than I have in a long time. Plus, and I sort of suspected this would happen, I am getting way more of other things done.
Still the thing I miss the most is that contact with people. However I am seeing how daily, and more often several times a day, contact was not all that healthy for me. Looking forward to Sunday's is actually quite delightful and I now know that a week in between is a good thing; and not that long. I may even continue to practice this after Lent is over.
Before I had looked into this though I had already made a decision as to what I would forgo. It really was not so much my thinking about it, as much as I believe it was inspired. So for the 40 days, other than the Sunday's, my smartphone will be turned off of any data use. The purpose of this is to stay off all forms of social media during Lent, except again on the Sunday's.
Even on my business computer and personal laptop I will not be accessing Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, or any other related communication apps. The only digital based communication I will be using, Monday to Saturday each week, is email and texting.
I have done this before, for a week or two, but those were during times when I was busy with different things. Such as this past summer in August, when four of us were in Herrnhut Germany working alongside of those at Jesus Haus to host a prayer conference. With all our chores and preparation and time exploring the local area, then being very busy once the conference began... Well it did not really seem like a big change, as there was little time to miss it anyway.
Now with more time on my hands, I thought at first this is going to be more difficult. Admittedly it was tempting those first few days to turn on my data. Soon though something unexpected happened, I was actually feeling a sense of relief. I had not realized how often I was using those apps, nor how much I was emotionally tied to them. Checking my phone every few hours to see if there were any new messages, or likes, or...
I was spending way too much time on these things, especially Facebook and watching videos people posted from the variety of talent shows that are now on television. I really enjoy seeing and listening to the raw unknown talent, especially the singers. However since it is so enjoyable I frequently loose track of time and before I know it hours have gone by.
This past Sunday, when I did turn on my data, I was not so engrossed with it as I thought I might be. In fact I checked it far less often than I would have on any other given day, prior to this. I did those things I enjoy doing, playing Scrabble for one 😉, but soon found that just a few minutes, rather than a few hours, was enough.
Also that sense of relief I began to experience last week has now settled down into something else unexpected, many somethings really. I feel more calm, well rested, less anxious, and dare I say even happier than I have in a long time. Plus, and I sort of suspected this would happen, I am getting way more of other things done.
Still the thing I miss the most is that contact with people. However I am seeing how daily, and more often several times a day, contact was not all that healthy for me. Looking forward to Sunday's is actually quite delightful and I now know that a week in between is a good thing; and not that long. I may even continue to practice this after Lent is over.
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