Unplugged

This summer I decided that I would not return to Calvin in the Fall. My original plan was to attend GRCC and do some core classes during the Fall. However, after even more thought and even more life I decided to take the semester off entirely and work full time. So during that special time of year, when all the students are returning to town to prepare for classes I was not. I was working.

Around the same time I decided to go to GRCC, I deleted my Facebook. As far as many of my Calvin friends were concerned, I simply disappeared. A vanishing act. But I feel that leaving Facebook was good for me. It helped me to be less plugged in to the meaningless meanderings of my friends and acquaintances, and helped me to be more plugged in to the world that truly surrounded me.

I think that my life is better without Facebook.

Then, two nights ago, I lost my phone. I had to wake up this morning and send my friends e-mails instead of text messages. It's as if I am living in an earlier time: a simpler time.

But the strangest thing is this: now that I do not have a phone, I notice everyone else on their phones. It's crazy how plugged in everyone is. Always on their phones. Always looking down, when there is a whole world of colors and sounds to greet them if they would just look up.

I'm not about to say that phones are objectively bad, but loosing mine for this short time has made me notice some things.

Being unplugged has been a good thing.

We take convenience for granted.

Maybe you should try it some time.

-Evan