It seems coincidental that in the past 24 hours two people whom I love and admire have forcefully spoken their minds about the lack of connection associated with cell phones.There is nothing soothing about the sound of a phone ringing. There is nothing peaceful about being available to someone else and their needs 24/7. There is nothing healthy about a lifestyle where you're on-call all the time.
Ben Franks used to tell me all the time to get off my cell phone. His point was always that I was spending time with him and others, and yet cared more about the person texting me, even if it was my EX-BOYFRIEND (wtf?! seriously!), than I did about the friends who wanted to enjoy my company. It makes so much sense. Why am I constantly on my cell phone? Why is it such a disaster if the battery dies, or I lose reception?
I want to live in the moment. I want to enjoy where I am, what I am doing, when I'm doing it. It isn't an emergency every time the thing buzzes. No one will die if I get back to them in a half an hour.
The other thing is food. I realize how much I enjoy my meals now more than ever. Since Ben and I started eating out a lot together, I take time and enjoy good food. I love that I get a lunch break during the day, where I go and have a meal with others. Some of the meal includes nourishing my body, and the other half is nourishing my spirit with conversation and connecting to others. It's such a healthy thing. Meals, like sleep, they're part of a balanced life. It's so good for my spirit. Teenagers, like workaholics, cheat themselves out of it by getting little to no sleep, and eating fast food in the car all the time. I begin to think living simply, isn't missing out on life. I lack so much spiritually, when I'm over commited, over exhausted, lonely, and available to everyone (at the expense of everyone), all the time. We all lose when we live like that. It isn't even all about doing less. It's about living on less. Being happier with little. The meal doesn't have to be huge and expensive. I had subway with ben today and it was lovely. I don't need to constantly upgrade my cell phone plan so I can text more. I don't need starbucks every day. I truly believe I can live so richly on so little if I want to. If my perception of worth and value changes. That's what I want. That's my goal. The fact that my consumeristic lifestyle, along with my fellow americans', is killing the planet, and many of its occupants, it's driving me towards radical change.
"Live Simply So Others May Simply Live."
