“peace... it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. it means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart. ”
As a child, we had one phone in the house. It hung on the wall, had the spirally-type cord with a rotary dial. At some point, we got a push-button phone but it never was quite the same as waiting for that dial to turn. Everyone answered the phone as you didn't know who was calling, you learned how to politely answer, and then find the person being requested or you took a message. It was a shared communication device.
There were two televisions in the house although they weren't used that much, at least not by today's standards. The radio played in the morning and the t.v. was rarely on the evenings...maybe because my parents tucked me into bed an an insanely early hour.
In the basement, my father had this HUGE metal box that took up half the floor-space. I asked him what it was and he said "it's a modern computer." It was the early 80's.
And as we all know, there's been an explosion of technological advances over the past few decades. With upgrades to our computers, televisions, audio-listening devices, headphones, and our phones. We are truly spoiled with the access we have to information; not to mention how easy it has become to stay in contact with friends and family regardless of where we live.
But something's happened along the way and this increased ability to stay connected has introduced an odd element of disconnect, overwhelm, and chaos. We are constantly exposed to information, late-breaking news, advertisements, etc. Sometimes it seems like all the technology is screaming "more, more, more." The family phone is long-gone and now it's a personal device. My phone, your phone, his phone, her phone... not our phone. It's "mine, mine, mine."
Often times, we turn to the television to watch the news; some say it's for background noise, others because they need to stay current. Morning news, 5 pm news, just before bed news and then there's the specialized news channels to allow you access to the news 24-7. And the news isn't good. Even when there's a lull in domestic or world events, the news channels still seem to find the negative to report and not the good. Yet we tell ourselves we need to stay current, connected, and in-the-know about what's going on in the world.
As the quote at the top of the page says, peace is about finding that place in the midst of chaos not void of chaos. However minimizing exposure to some of the chaos might be just what we need.
Day 10. Peace tip.
Take a moment to think about the digital distractions you have in your life. Now, I'm not talking about sincere use of technology that allows us to quickly and easily access needed information. I'm referring to the interruptions your phone/texting, social media, the news on the television brings to your day. If you're feeling like you couldn't go without your phone or the news for a day, this tip is for you. If you find yourself making a list of reasons why this won't work, take a moment to reflect and ask yourself why.
Try it. Detox. Minimize the noise, the distraction, the chaos.
Let it go.
~Christina
PS - I want to be transparent in this process. This is a tough tip for me. I was able to get rid of "the news" over a year ago however, my phone is a different situation. It's a work in progress.