Sunday, April 27, 2008
Disconnected
12:14 AM | Posted by
Anonymous
Rod Dreher of the Dallas Morning News posted a blog about the effects of too much information on people. http://dallasmorningviewsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/04/only-disconnect.html
I commented. Now, I give you the chance to comment on my comment.
My Comment:
This week I sent an email to a number of people asking them to delete my cell phone number from their information about me. They call the house phone. If I don't answer, they immediately hang up and call the cell phone. When I don't answer, they gripe because if I'm going to have a cell phone, I should answer. The irony of this is that both phones were sitting on my counter when they rang. I heard them ring. I ignored them as my children and I were in the middle of homeschool-my day job as I call it, and everyone who calls knows I don't answer the phone until after 2:00 anyway.
Do you remember the time when there was one phone in the house tethered to a wall, and if you called someone who did not pick up, you simply called back later because they did not have voice mail or an answering machine or multiple other options for reaching them?
The world did not end then. No one rushed home in case someone was trying to reach them. No one accused the call recipient of ignoring them if they didn't pick up immediately or within a certain number of rings or at all. We simply assumed folks were busy. We would catch them when they weren't.
The problem is we have lost the wisdom to not be busy. We have lost the wisdom to sit on the porch in a rocking chair and sip lemonade. We have forgotten the therapy of card night with friends. It isn't that we want or need more information about others. It is that we are afraid of what we might learn if we are actually alone with ourselves. So, we hide. We hide in blogs, emails, Facebooks, cell phones, and anywhere else that keeps us from aspects of ourselves we want to avoid.
It isn't about what we want to know. It is about what we DON'T want to know.
I commented. Now, I give you the chance to comment on my comment.
My Comment:
This week I sent an email to a number of people asking them to delete my cell phone number from their information about me. They call the house phone. If I don't answer, they immediately hang up and call the cell phone. When I don't answer, they gripe because if I'm going to have a cell phone, I should answer. The irony of this is that both phones were sitting on my counter when they rang. I heard them ring. I ignored them as my children and I were in the middle of homeschool-my day job as I call it, and everyone who calls knows I don't answer the phone until after 2:00 anyway.
Do you remember the time when there was one phone in the house tethered to a wall, and if you called someone who did not pick up, you simply called back later because they did not have voice mail or an answering machine or multiple other options for reaching them?
The world did not end then. No one rushed home in case someone was trying to reach them. No one accused the call recipient of ignoring them if they didn't pick up immediately or within a certain number of rings or at all. We simply assumed folks were busy. We would catch them when they weren't.
The problem is we have lost the wisdom to not be busy. We have lost the wisdom to sit on the porch in a rocking chair and sip lemonade. We have forgotten the therapy of card night with friends. It isn't that we want or need more information about others. It is that we are afraid of what we might learn if we are actually alone with ourselves. So, we hide. We hide in blogs, emails, Facebooks, cell phones, and anywhere else that keeps us from aspects of ourselves we want to avoid.
It isn't about what we want to know. It is about what we DON'T want to know.
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"It's not the wind in our hair that makes us free. It's the movement of the Spirit, the growth of our invisible side." --Amber Haines
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5 comments:
You are so right! I think it is part of the whole extreme makeover movement. I see people wanting to "perfect" the outside while just hiding all the dirt under the rug. And becuase we want others to see how pretty our rug is we simply comment oh how pretty their rug is instead of asking our true friends why their rug stinks.
We all need to spend some time alone with ourselves and God so that we can simply offer our children a beautiful rug not just a pretty mess.
Amen! I know I for one hide alot. I have never thjought of it that way .... just that I am busy, but you know I am afraid of what I might find if I slow down or think too much. This is when you see the low/rough times come out in my blog. I am asking the Lord for His help with this while Greg is deployed. I am focusing on my relationship with Him and Corban. Taking that first step in the dark and of faith as I step outside my comfort zone and attempt with His help to lead a Bible study this fall for PWOC. I figure since Greg will be gone this is a good time to rediscover who it is that I am. Please pray that I do not let the "busyness" interfere with my progress. Thanks again for the inspiration and for the email on praying the scriptures.
In His arms ....
BTW ... how would I get the beautiful women series for my personal reference later? I am having trouble linking or whatever... Thanks
Great Post Jerri - I don't answer the phone every time it rings either. Lots of great points if only we could all learn the lessons...
Jerri, I love you so much and will never ever forget the vital part your friendship played in a very critical time in my life. Just sitting here looking up different things on the internet and your name came to mind while I was researching Esther and the concept of "for such a time as this." Just wanted to drop you a line and tell you again I love you so much. Your words impact the lives of so many people... I am grateful to be one of those people.
Big hugs to you and yours,
Nicole Henderson
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