The Screen Was Blank

Lately I've considered again the helpful role of consciously deciding to do without something we value, called "fasting" by ancients of old.

Yesterday I fasted from the computer. I just did so from 4 pm on and even for that short period the lure proved difficult to resist. At 8 when My husband had gone to pick up our daughter I was going through my schedule for the week. I thought I had to look at the e-mails and send one to get something figured out. It had to be done immediately. So I thought.

The screen was black. I tapped a key. No response. When Collin returned I told him that the computer had crashed again. It did that twice on Saturday and we fear what htat means. He said, "No. The monitor is just turned off. Remember, we're fasting."

"Oh, yes." Fasting means no excuse to get back on. He's right.

Once I am sitting there in front of the desk I invariably forget what I came for and start doing other stuff too and thirty minutes goes by without my noticing. Later I regret the book I didn't pick up and the hymn I didn't play on the piano. And so much of what drives me to the computer can wait, easily. By this morning I knew I didn't need to do what I thought was so necessary last night.

And this kind of fasting is so good for me. In the absence of computer and hubby, I enjoyed reflecting as I did some mending. I watched our DVD of Planet Earth and marvelled at the beauty under the ocean and thanked God for the many delights of the eyes.
Fasting this way if good for our marriage too. I'd asked Collin this morning if he'd be willing to do without the computer from a certain time on. When he said, "Yes," I asked him to set the time. At 4 pm he left his blog post, even though it was unfinished. I could tell it frustrated him, but he's a man faithful to his commitments.

So, our eyes are turned towards each other instead of the computer. We even decided to spontaneously go to bed early last night and enjoy the delights of each other.

Yes, computer fasting is good, for both of us.

Comments

[Margaret Moon]

So true how we get to doing other things on the computer when we start out to do 1 thing. I used to think it was silly when people talked about being addicted to the internet/computer. Thanks for your insights.