Sabatical

Today is two weeks since I've been on FB.  I went on this morning briefly to see my sons wall.  He is in Africa and we have limited contact. There was a wonderful picture of him. I miss him beyond words already and it has only been 8 weeks.   This is the longest duration of time that I've been away from a social media site in more then 10 years.  I've taken up to 10 days off while away on awesome vacations, but never even more then a few days while being at home most of the time.  The one thing I've noticed is a *peeling* away of the layers of myself.  We are bombarded by so much information, news, and advertizements that it can completely take over who we are, all the way to our very core.  I am one of those people, I'm so easily affected by all the sad news of the world.  I can't even drive by a dead animal on the side of the road with out feeling great pain, and if the animal is a mom, I agonize over what is happening to its now orphaned young.  I stopped watching the news and reading newspapers a long time ago.  Unfortunately all social media has instant news.  Every single thing that happens in the world is instantly put out there the second it happens.  I for one, can't handle it any longer. It's all too much, and fills my brain to capacity.  I have a son living in Africa and another soon to be in Hawaii. It's really hard for me to have them so far away.  I don't need to constantly hear about all the bad things happening in Africa and the rest of the world.  Time to take back my life and filter what I'm filling my head with, so I can sleep better at night.

I'm also going to shun TV from now on. I tend to put it on in the evening for no apparent reason.  There is nothing on that I want to see except the occasional Nature show.   We will be cancelling our cable on Sept 1.  There is no need for it after son #3 leaves for Aviation school.  Come this Fall we will have an empty nest for the first time in our lives. It's going to be a rough transition for me. I've been a mom for 28 years and have loved every moment of having a house full.  Hubby and I are really enjoying reading lately. Hubby started about a year ago, after our oldest son returned from this traveling in NZ, AU and Thailand, he handed off a book he read on the plane to his dad.  He's been hooked ever since.  Our oldest son is an avid reader, shuns TV and doesn't spend much time on Social Media.  He *Lives* every moment of his life.   If there is something we want to watch, we will be getting an internet ready TV and a video player.  We can rent movies and nature shows.  For Hockey we will join a site and stream the games.

During the last few months I also decided to take a break from learning and volunteering.  I've slowly let things drop away.  I miss volunteering.  But needed the mental time to process my recent losses and my soon to be empty nest.  My plans are to continue that until the Fall Hawk Watch season.  There will be plenty of time to volunteer again when my boys are all off on their own. I'm trying to relearn to JUST BE. One moment at a time. Like I was before cell phones and the internet. I no longer want to have so much hanging over me mentally 24/7.  For my next personal challenge, I will be doing a 30 day sit spot. I've been unable to ever complete one. I will this time.  I bought myself the gift of a sit spot journal, my mothers day gift from my sweet #2 son and his beautiful fiance.  My sit spot will be at my backyard pond.  Soon as it's finished I will pick a start date.   I'm looking forward to finally completing a sit spot challenge. 

In the last two weeks, I have already gained more time to create amazing healthy food in my kitchen, hike longer with my beloved pup, do more nature study, spend time really being with my loved ones instead of distracted thinking about my internet friends, I've read two great books and I'm back out in my gardens, my house is also getting cleaner, and emptier. I'm getting rid of stuff and simplifying!   My mind is clearer and I can think better. Maybe my memory will improve too, I can only hope.  LOL

I am going to continue my media sabbatical.   I'm not sure when I'm going back, but I do know how I used Social Media before May 20th  is over forever. Too much life to live, to spend it sitting on a computer. I am proud of myself.  Abstaining from addictive things is super hard.  I'm doing great!