Are you craving a simpler life in the age of disconnect?

Are you craving a simpler life in this twenty-first century age of disconnect?

Some would say we are more connected than ever because of the Internet, instant messaging and video calling. I guess we are, in a sense. But, I think we are missing the very simple things of life and that’s one reason everyone is so stressed out.

A song made famous by country singer Don Williams—“Back to the Simple Things”—reflects on the very issue of finding simplicity.

Some of the lyrics read, “I’ve been trying to figure out how to dial it back and slow down. Can’t be as complicated as it seems. The heart of me loves yesterday, so pardon me now while I make my way back to the simple things. If you call me I may not answer, might not get back to you for quite a while. I’ll be fishin’ with my family ‘cause livin’ in the moments more my style…Tonight I’m turnin’ off the TV, watch the stars out for a change. Sit on the front porch with my baby, rockin’ all the way...”

The younger millennial generation may not feel this way. How could they? They’ve been in an uber connected society since they were born and likely don’t have a clue what it’s like to be immersed in the simple things of life, or even know what that is.

Us baby boomers, on the other hand, grew up in a simpler time, but have been swept into the super connected world and, for the most part, have lost a lot of what made our lives simple in the past. I, for one, am trying to reconnect with the simpler things and enjoy peace and, quite frankly, I’m having a hard time.

Anxiety creeps in if I don’t have my cell phone or access to the internet for more than a few hours. The fact that I work in an industry where we have to be connected on all levels to know what we need to know to even do our jobs and then to provide it on multi-media platforms for reader consumption makes it even harder to stay disconnected.

But, I’m getting there—at least when I’m not working or not on call.

In Kilroy J. Oldster’s “Dead Toad Scrolls” he writes, ““By simplifying our lives, we rediscover our child-like stalk of innocents that reconnects us with the central resin of our innate humanity that knows truth and goodness. To see the world through a lens of youthful rapture is to see life for what it can be and to see for ourselves what we wish to become. In this beam of newly discovered ecstasy for life, we realize the splendor of love, life, and the unbounded beauty of the natural world.” 

In times past, entire families grew up and lived in small, simple homes. Now, it seems people can’t get a house big enough, or enough things to put into one.

Also, there were distinct seasons for sports and other activities and summer was generally a time to relax, but today, kids and families are forever on the move with work, sports, dance, gaming so on and so forth. It’s a miracle that anyone can even catch his or her breath.

My kids are grown, but I have a hard time making myself slow down. Work keeps me very busy and then there’s my rescue animals—two cats, four dogs, and six bunny rabbits—that take up an enormous amount of my time, plus the overseeing of my disabled husband’s care at a nursing home and keeping contact with my adult children who lead terribly busy lives themselves.

So, how does one slow down? I really do not know. But, I do know that on weekends, I am making myself be still, breathe, enjoy the woods I’m surrounded by, trying to avoid Facebook more and more and just sit.

My efforts to just sit don’t last long as anxiety creeps in because I need a connection fix with Facebook or text messaging, but I’m working on it.

If you are trying to simplify, slow down in life, just do it slowly, one step at a time. Take time, even if it’s just 10 minutes to breathe deeply or walk in your yard to free your mind, just to reconnect with nature’s smells and sounds. I believe you will find it quite refreshing.

One last thing: bunnies make every day a better day. Just saying.

Jan Murray is a staff writer for The Southeast Sun and Daleville Sun-Courier. The opinions of this writer are her own and not the opinion of the paper. She can be reached at (334) 393-2969 or by email at [email protected].