What I Did On My Bloggy Vacation

It felt good--really good--to step away from Ye Olde Blogge for awhile.  Most of what I wrote the previous week was pre-posted, so I was actually mostly blog-free for about a week and a half.  And in the intense immediacy of blog years, that's, like, 73 days. 

I desperately needed a tweaking of my perspective on the cyber-world.  If you've been blogging yourself for a while, you know that there is a (perhaps false) sense of urgency to it.  I think all bloggers occasionally get so plugged into their cyber-lives that they lose sight of the real life they're supposed to be living.  It doesn't help that this is the most "connected" generation in history.  We write on our blogs while Facebooking and Twittering and listening to a podcast and receiving our messages (text and voice mail and instant).

And I wonder sometimes, were we really created to be this plugged in?  Are we so connected that we're getting...well, disconnected? 

I know.  There are some really fine uses of technology out there.  I love my cell phone and my Facebook and my e-mail as much as the next person.  I don't plan to chuck it all anytime soon.  I think that it is what it is, and whether we like it or not, we've found ourselves living smack dab in the middle of the Tech Revolution. 

And that's okay.  We'll work with it.  We'll grow and learn and adapt and be thankful for the convenience and enjoy the entertainment. 

But let's not forget (and I'm preaching to myself, here) that the real meat of life, the stuff that really matters, the part that makes it beautiful to be human--well, none of that stuff has a USB port.  You can't really Twitter the music of a child's laugh, and no Facebook page will replace the beauty of taking a casserole to a sick friend.

So blog life, Twitter it, IM it, podcast it...and do it well.

But first?

Live it.

Comments

[pam]

Amen. And Amen, dear Shannon.

[jen]

This is the third post today that deals with this topic in one way or another. I think it's the universe trying to tell me something...and I really need to hear it. Thanks.

[Blessed]

Oh so true!

[Katrina (Callapidder Days)]

Great thoughts, Shannon, and so true.

[Nicole]

Wow. Very well spoken and heartfelt. I don't twitter or facebook for just that reason and I only post on my blog a few times per week. But I am daily, constantly reading all my favorite ones! It consumes me even though I try not to let it!

[Tara]

Well said and amen.

[Amy]

Amen!

[Aunt Murry]

And that is why Idon't belong to my space or face book and why I don't text or IM. I will e-mail because it is faster than snail mail. But if I have time to text, I have time to call. If it's a situation where I can't call then I should not be texting. But I miss hand written letters. Off my soap box...

[Annabelle]

That's so true!

[dana]

I'm glad you enjoyed the break. Sometimes it's nice to click the refresh button in our lives outside of blogging.

[Minnesotamom]

Great post. I've been taking a bit of time off here and there myself lately, and realizing much of what you said (just not so eloquently stated in my head).

[Jeni]

Well written, as usual, Shannon. I struggle with this a lot, myself - it's way too easy to spend too much time on blog writing, blog reading, and Facebook.

In fact, I'm going to log off now & go tickle my daughter. :-)

[HisLifeformine]

Amen! It is so easy to be consumed. Being aware of my limits and choosing to turn it off. Once we understand that it truly is not "the end of blogdom" if I dont' respond to a comment or post or whatever...freedom! This is a wonderful venue for meeting new friends and sharing Christ, but it should not consume us, it should enhance our lives.

[Kari]

So true! Good on you for taking a break and stepping back for a bit. May we never forget where our REAL LIFE lies, thanks for this great reminder!! :)

[Sabrina]

Amen! Very well said.

[mykidsmom]

This is SO true. I only do my blog (no facebook, ect.) and that sometimes takes up more time than I like. I quess excess of anything can take away from living life.

[Anne Marie]

Amen! I've felt the exact same way. And I still love it all... but it's nice to unplug. So once a month, I just leave my cell phone at home. I know, irresponsible. But at the end of the day, nothing and no one has caught on fire! And every few months, I just don't go online during the weekend. At all. Not one email, or website, or twitter... Call me crazy, but that keeps me sane.

[Rebecca]

Preach it. :)

(Now I need to take your advice... except for that dratted Blog 365 thing I signed up for.)

[Mommy]

One drawback to being so connected is, like you said, becoming disconnected. There are so many people I'm connected with now through Facebook and my blog and cell phones and etc. that sometimes it feels like I'm spread thin and don't have time to deeply connect with anyone. Guess it's up to me to change that, though.

[Donnetta (momrn2)]

It was for this very reason I took quite a prolonged time not so long ago to
re-evaluate myself! Wonderfully written!

[Barb]

Well said, Shannon. Very well said.

[Thea @ I'm a Drama Mama]

I'm going on vacation next week and won't have internet for a week and I'm wondering if that's exactly what I need to remind myself that my blog (and those I read) won't disappear just because I'm not there everyday.

This is a great post, Shannon!

[Happy Mommy]

Great perspective! Thank you for your wise words!

[Linda]

I just watched Beth Moore's Stepping Up video (#5) and it was on unity. She focused in on this same subject. How society is so surfaced in relationships with the texting, etc. And how vital real, live, touchable friendships are to us as women. So good reminder here! It is so easy to sit behind this keyboard and have fun but never find any meaningful depth.

[Worlds Greatest Mommy]

Totally agree. I think there's a need to be completely connected 24/7 to this world that brings joy, laughter, and comfort. But you're right the joy, laughter, and comfort wouldn't be here if we weren't all out living.