It’s all beginning again. You can feel it. You can see it. You can hear it. We’re at the start of a brand new football season – for high school, for college, and for the pros. We’re at the start of autumn – when the dog days of summer typically give way to slightly cooler temperatures and slightly drier humidity. We’re all a few weeks into the 2014-15 school year – for students at every educational level. For those who pay close attention to the world of politics, we’re at the onset of the stretch run of the various political races – be they local, statewide, or national. Get ready for all manner of political bombardment: robo-calls, political mailers, email blasts, donor letters, nonstop campaign commercials on television and radio, candidates coming to your town or church or facility, even text messages to your Android or Apple devices. Conflicts between nations and conflicts between differing factions of the same faith could conceivably lead to the United States entering into a new war with an old enemy bearing a new name. Perhaps you have a new job – or maybe you have new responsibilities because you’ve recently been promoted to a newer, higher position. You may have just moved to a new town/city – which means new friends, new possibilities, and a new outlook. Whatever your current situation is – new or old, positive or negative, exciting or bland, funny or solemn – there’s a good chance you need a break. Perhaps you might consider being unplugged.
Life in the postmodern world keeps us constantly on the go. There always seems to be one more errand to run, one more meeting to attend, one more place to go, one more thing to do, and one more person to meet. That’s why most of us are never further away than 6 inches from our smartphones unless we’re in the shower. That’s why many of us are hard-pressed to sleep soundly at night. We’re fearful of missing a call from our boss, a friend, a family member, or our significant other. We’re afraid of not being there. This fear, of course, can easily force us into the habit of being there too much – which could be to our detriment mentally, emotionally, spiritually, or even physically.
It’s necessary to turn off the news cable channels sometimes. Once you put down the remote, consider picking up a good book to read. Those of you who are athletic might consider walking a nature trail, riding along a bike path, or intensifying your workout regimen. Get unplugged. Those of you who are holistically inclined might resume meditation, affirmation, or yoga. Get unplugged. Those of you who are community service minded can easily engage in random acts of kindness, church ministries, and mentoring initiatives. There are plenty of things you can do to help your community if/when you get unplugged for a spell.
Balancing your various lives – professional, personal, recreational, spiritual, etc. – can be a complex and delicate process. Certain things are key. Proper rest, a healthy dose of inner peace, and time with family and friends are essential components to living well.
My father has a piece of sage advice he’s repeated throughout my life: “Enough of anything is enough.” Well said, Dad. That phrase applies to everyone regardless of their age, gender, faith, ethnicity, political leanings, or socioeconomic status.
Whenever I’m unplugged, I soon find myself thinking of how I can be of service to others. Don’t misunderstand. I’m not proposing that anyone unplug themselves from the news, from social media, and from cable/satellite television permanently – or even for an extended period of time. That would be ill-advised. You know what’s best for you. You know when to say when. You know when you need a breather. You can feel it. For some people, being unplugged for a couple of hours will work wonders. For others, being unplugged for a day or two will feel like a virtual vacation.
In this new season of fall, and everything it brings, please take care of yourself. Remember the most important things – like faith and family. Hold on to those things which enlighten and sustain you, let the rest of this postmodern world’s
clutter go. You’re not a rat. Life is not a race. When it all begins to become too
much, you know what to do. Live acoustically. Go unplugged.
TMI LIVING 