A Letter in Cursive
It is quiet this morning. All of you are off to school. I am devoid of employment, again (November may be a zero pay cheque month). And I should do some housework.
Yet I sit here, hearing the clickity-clack of my keyboard with a smile on my face. I. Am. Not. Busy.
Busy. Our culture is way too busy. And any free time we have, we tend to spend in front of a screen (I'm guilty here).
Times have changed. There are numerous ways that I can keep track of events at your school. Facebook. Twitter. You Tube. Website. School Newsletter. Teacher Newsletters. And a class blog. The sad thing is that many someones out there have to make sure that all the feeds, either virtual or real, are updated and kept consistent. Oh. My. Word. I guess I am more old fashion since I read only the paper updates and, yes, the class blog.
Lately, I've encountered a few exhausted parents. Parents who are running all over this city or this corner of the prairies, transporting their children from here to there for some sporting event while trying to fit in that volunteer meeting somehow between extra-curricular and homework. Moms and Dads prepping lunches at night to speed up morning routines and work schedules as both parents are working, working, working to pay for it all (and pay for their debt). On top of that, they are striving to stay connected with all the social media out there on their handy-dandy smart phones that are practically appendages to their own body.
Sometimes I wondering if establishing my career and entering "the frenzied" is over-rated. And maybe I'll delay purchasing that smart phone a while longer.
In many ways, I believe our technological advances have contributed more to alienation and mental stress than connection and peace. Back in the day, people wrote letters. You sat at a table, grabbed a pen (yes, they do exist) and wrote your thoughts in cursive to a loved one out there. You mailed it. And you often waited for a long time to receive a reply. In the meanwhile, you had your neighbor over for coffee, spontaneously. You had a conversation with a family member while washing dishes by hand. Your kids contributed to family chores, ran around free in the yard building snow forts, practiced multiplication facts, read intriguing novels, and maybe played in one local sports team (more for fun that competition). Then, a month or two later, you received a response to your letter. You cherished the words written by that person. You read the letter again and again. You shared it with your family. You saved the words in a special keepsake box.
Now, we hardly have time to read a couple of lines from someone via e-mail, let alone respond in some sort of thoughtful manner.
I know, I know. I'm idealizing the past. And there are dangers in doing that, because the past was not all perfect and the present isn't all bad. However, I am trying to make a point. As parents, we need to be critical of how we use technology in our family AND in how much busyness we inject into your lives. Because we don't want you to have a mental breakdown because you are under so much stress trying to do too much or develop ADHD because you can't concentrate on anything longer than the time it takes to flip to another image on your smart phone.
One of my favourite bible verses is, "Be still, and know that I am God..." (Psalm 46:10a). Be still. Meditate on God and who He is. Note that the verse did not say, "Frantically strive, and know that I am God." Instead: Be still.
How do we as a family incorporate stillness into our lives? Meditation? Thoughtful reflection and retreat?
Let me give an example by providing a non-example. Consider this commercial:
This car maker has integrated Wi-Fi technology into its car design. Why? For you kids to watch a movie on your tablets so your parents can have a more relaxing journey. For you kids to possess a car, that according to one little girl, cares about you? Really!?
Hey, I'm okay with watching a show during a car ride once in a while or during those road trips that seem to go on forever. But to be plugged in, "connected" the entire time, staring at your own screen as the beautiful world flies by your window, losing out on real time conversation -- and yes -- real time conflict (where we learn much about life) is just not healthy.
What does this all mean for me, as your Mother? I aim to be strategic in what I allow you to engage in. I aim to provide you with time to just play and time to just rest. I aim to limit your screen time and avoid purchasing tablets or smart phones for you as long as I can. Lastly, I aim to make my life less busy so I have more time to sit down and write someone a letter in cursive.
Yet I sit here, hearing the clickity-clack of my keyboard with a smile on my face. I. Am. Not. Busy.
Busy. Our culture is way too busy. And any free time we have, we tend to spend in front of a screen (I'm guilty here).
Times have changed. There are numerous ways that I can keep track of events at your school. Facebook. Twitter. You Tube. Website. School Newsletter. Teacher Newsletters. And a class blog. The sad thing is that many someones out there have to make sure that all the feeds, either virtual or real, are updated and kept consistent. Oh. My. Word. I guess I am more old fashion since I read only the paper updates and, yes, the class blog.
Lately, I've encountered a few exhausted parents. Parents who are running all over this city or this corner of the prairies, transporting their children from here to there for some sporting event while trying to fit in that volunteer meeting somehow between extra-curricular and homework. Moms and Dads prepping lunches at night to speed up morning routines and work schedules as both parents are working, working, working to pay for it all (and pay for their debt). On top of that, they are striving to stay connected with all the social media out there on their handy-dandy smart phones that are practically appendages to their own body.
Sometimes I wondering if establishing my career and entering "the frenzied" is over-rated. And maybe I'll delay purchasing that smart phone a while longer.
In many ways, I believe our technological advances have contributed more to alienation and mental stress than connection and peace. Back in the day, people wrote letters. You sat at a table, grabbed a pen (yes, they do exist) and wrote your thoughts in cursive to a loved one out there. You mailed it. And you often waited for a long time to receive a reply. In the meanwhile, you had your neighbor over for coffee, spontaneously. You had a conversation with a family member while washing dishes by hand. Your kids contributed to family chores, ran around free in the yard building snow forts, practiced multiplication facts, read intriguing novels, and maybe played in one local sports team (more for fun that competition). Then, a month or two later, you received a response to your letter. You cherished the words written by that person. You read the letter again and again. You shared it with your family. You saved the words in a special keepsake box.
Now, we hardly have time to read a couple of lines from someone via e-mail, let alone respond in some sort of thoughtful manner.
I know, I know. I'm idealizing the past. And there are dangers in doing that, because the past was not all perfect and the present isn't all bad. However, I am trying to make a point. As parents, we need to be critical of how we use technology in our family AND in how much busyness we inject into your lives. Because we don't want you to have a mental breakdown because you are under so much stress trying to do too much or develop ADHD because you can't concentrate on anything longer than the time it takes to flip to another image on your smart phone.
One of my favourite bible verses is, "Be still, and know that I am God..." (Psalm 46:10a). Be still. Meditate on God and who He is. Note that the verse did not say, "Frantically strive, and know that I am God." Instead: Be still.
How do we as a family incorporate stillness into our lives? Meditation? Thoughtful reflection and retreat?
Let me give an example by providing a non-example. Consider this commercial:
This car maker has integrated Wi-Fi technology into its car design. Why? For you kids to watch a movie on your tablets so your parents can have a more relaxing journey. For you kids to possess a car, that according to one little girl, cares about you? Really!?
Hey, I'm okay with watching a show during a car ride once in a while or during those road trips that seem to go on forever. But to be plugged in, "connected" the entire time, staring at your own screen as the beautiful world flies by your window, losing out on real time conversation -- and yes -- real time conflict (where we learn much about life) is just not healthy.
What does this all mean for me, as your Mother? I aim to be strategic in what I allow you to engage in. I aim to provide you with time to just play and time to just rest. I aim to limit your screen time and avoid purchasing tablets or smart phones for you as long as I can. Lastly, I aim to make my life less busy so I have more time to sit down and write someone a letter in cursive.