Lately, I’ve been feeling that internet life-sucking force grabbing hold of a bit too much of my time. It’s rarely during the day, when the kids are around, but more in the evenings… I sit down and suddenly two hours of my life are just… gone. Zoning out to a television used to take this place, but we haven’t owned one now for almost 10 years. And slowly but surely, another screen has captivated my attention.
So I’m off Facebook and am keeping my computer out of sight so I’m not near it during the day, focusing on my life, my family, my friends and loved ones, and being in the present moment. Quitting Facebook was hard for me only because it was the only place I seemed to catch up with a few close friends, and now I fear that I will lose touch with those people indefinitely. I also miss my brother and sister and their families, and seeing pictures of their kids was so gratifying. But the majority of the time, I was just scrolling and scrolling, and zoning. And just checking out. And now it’s only been a couple of days, but I already feel myself coming back. 
So much of this has to do with slowing down. With fall on the horizon, changes come to the forefront of my mind. I slowly pack away swimsuits and pool towels and eye the sweaters and jeans I have been missing. And the boots! I stock up on good books I’ve been wanting to read (scoring two at Goodwill for 50 cents apiece). I start dreaming up crockpot recipes, the ultimate in slow meals.
Slowing down means being there, being present, when Emil steals his older brother’s scooter (thank you, Ryan and Kristin, for those great birthday presents) and just as suddenly, discovers his shadow, and mistakes it for a separate being. 
And then tries to run away from it, only it keeps running in front of him, that tricky shadow! Which makes him insanely mad, because he was trying to run away, not after that shadow. 
Slowing down means biting my tongue when I want to yell to Emil to catch up while we are walking home from the playground as the sky grows darker. It means turning around and watching him instead, as he literally stops to admire some flowers, then upon standing, feels a nice cool breeze blow against his back. Slowing down means seeing the beautiful thing that happens next: he slowly lifts his arms out away from his sides and up, and closes his eyes, tilting his little two-year-old face to the sky as the breeze blows around and through him. And then, I do the same.
Have a wonderful, slow weekend.
I really respect this! It is so easy to become consumed. My husband and I quit FB for a few years and just recently got it back. I feel like we established good habits in those years and are now able to use it a bit more responsibly…ha! That sounds crazy:) I feel like we are constantly having to re evaluate our lifestyle in a culture of pure consumption, and ask what brings the most meaning…cell phone or no cell phone? Car or no car? facebook? Tv? The list goes on. Currently living with no cell phones, no car, facebook, internet, and tv. It may seem a little inconsistent but I learning consistency is a little over rated:) I am just looking for good quality of life. Like you, I can get so engulfed in the internet, especially beautiful blogs like this. We started setting timers for ourselves, so we don’t loose track of time. I allow myself 30 minutes a day of blogs, email, whatever, preferably before my daughter even wakes up, and then a little more time a night or two a week when my daughter is asleep, to work on my own blog. While the timer sounds kind of silly I feel that has been really positive! Cheers to slowing down, from a lover of the slow life!
Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! This is why I don’t own a cell phone much to the dismay and prodding of some friends. But why should i be available at all moments? or recieve mindless texts that are pointless and nag me to respond? After leaving FB my creative energy started pouring out of me again. I felt original thoughts coming back instead of the homogenized mentions of things in the “feed”. I’ve started only allowing myself a few times a day to check and respond to email, to be more measured and thoughtful in my responses even if that means several days before i can write back. The only people who need me in such haste are my family. All these technological advances make us more harried, more frazzled and less able to appreciate the things that make life joyful – like slow meals and afternoons spent shadow chasing. Well done.
That’s so interesting, because, for me, I’m just the opposite. If I don’t have things like Facebook and the TV, I find I never slow down. I think those things keep my OCD desires of organizing, planning and constantly feeling the need to go under control. Plus, I love to keep up with celebrity gossip 🙂
Slow life is the real life !!!
Oh I admire you. It’s such a hard balance to find. I always swore I’d leave facebook if my siblings lived in town and this weekend the final one is moving home, but now I am actively involved in a private group on there with my group of local mom friends from a nursing mom’s group and really appreciate and need that support at times in between meet-ups so feel stuck. I’ve un-liked a bunch of things, blocked things from showing up in my feed, etc, but it is still just way too much and I hate the time I spend on there. Maybe I’ll just deactivate for a week or two and see how it goes…after giving my phone number and personal email out to more of the moms. I really love the community this online world can provide and some of the support all around has been invaluable, but I also feel it can be a huge time-suck and negative in other ways as well. I do like the idea of setting a timer like another commenter wrote and sticking to it. Hmm.
I really admire your parenting style. It sounds like you create such a nurturing environment for your boys!
The best I can do is take Facebook breaks every now and then and make the time I spend with Rho no-phone and no-computer time. When I’m with him I’m not on my computer, and while I have my phone with me, I only answer urgent things by screening texts and not even opening Facebook/Instagram.
I read this on Friday and didn’t have time to comment, but loved it! I feel as though as we near three years old, Wyatt is already losing a bit of that sheer amazement with the little things (wind and sun). I love how having tiny kids reminds us all to smell those flowers.
As for technology, I’m more disconnected than ever these days. I never did Facebook, we don’t have cable so TV is very limited… I check in with blogs when I can on my phone, and I also do love instagram! The blog is an important place for me, but the balance is obviously critical.
These look so good I’d like to smear them all over my face and savor the delicious flavors as they seep into my pores over the course of several days (I wouldn’t wash my face during that time).
My comment was meant for the brownies section, but it ended up here.
I just came across your blog, and I’m really enjoying it… trying not to get consumed and just keep scrolling. haha. But you’re kids are so adorable and I really enjoy your writing. This post was so sweet. Thanks for the reminder not to get consumed and for the wonderfully sweet image of your boy enjoying the sun and breeze!