What would it be like to be off the communication grid for two weeks? No cell phone, no email, no television, no radio, no newspaper…face-to-face communication only.
I had this experience recently while sailing in the McGregor Bay, a 4,000-square-mile provincial preserve at the northern end of Lake Huron in Ontario, Canada. The words peaceful and serene seem inadequate to describe the atmosphere.
What I learned from the experience is how “trapped in my technology” I had become. The frantic pace at which technology encourages me to live became apparent when I returned home. What I realized was what the “24-7, always-on” lifestyle I live is costing me peace of mind, tranquility, centeredness, time to think or just time to be.
My challenge is to hang on to even a small part of the peace I felt in the pristine natural setting of McGregor Bay while participating in “modern” world. How do I stay centered and reflective and still contribute to those I serve? Taming my technology would seem to be a good place to start. Now, where is that “off” switch again?