Goodbye Forever

Yesterday morning, I deleted my Facebook.
No, that's not true; I deactivated it. But the point is the same.
I've just been reading so much for a paper I'm writing about why things like social networking and texting hold us back from forming real relationships, as well as a number of things talking about how we should get rid of the things from our lives that distract us from our purpose. A quote from a talk by Elder Dallin H. Oaks that we read in Sunday School yesterday reaffirmed my decision:

Consider how we use our time in the choices we make in viewing television, playing video games, surfing the Internet, or reading books or magazines. Of course it is good to view wholesome entertainment or to obtain interesting information. But not everything of that sort is worth the portion of our life we give to obtain it. Some things are better, and others are best. When the Lord told us to seek learning, He said, “Seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom” (D&C 88:118; emphasis added).

Along with my banishment of Facebook, I have been trying to spend as much time as possible away from my phone and other types of electronic media for at least an hour at a time these past few weeks. I try to take a walk every day, with nothing more high-tech than my keys to keep me company. I live next to a park, so I usually take advantage of its convenience and spend some time lying in the cool grass, alone with my thoughts.
I feel so much more free! That ever-present stress of whether or not someone wrote on my wall or sent me a text is [mostly] gone. I thought my social life would suffer, but it's actually gotten better. I'm not saying that there's a correlation between the fact that I've played Settlers of Catan three of the past four days...but then again, I would say I'm more likely to go to activities and less likely to rely on old friends to keep me company. (I still love my old friends too, don't worry!)
I'm going to admit that when I saw Hunger Games the other day, I didn't like it very much. I thought Avengers was pretty good, but not as great as I might have once. I'm just not as interested in these hours of pure entertainment. I like to think! I'd rather watch Amazing Grace than Iron Man most days.
Now, I'm not saying that everyone should think the same way I do...but there is something liberating in detaching myself from all the noise of being "connected."

Ode to Joy

Yeah, obviously the object of my previous post didn't ever happen.
Anyway.
Last week, I was kind of having a bit of a hard time with the tons of stress from work and school, along with the oppressive loneliness I sometimes get from living *essentially* alone. I just couldn't get past it for whatever reason, so finally I turned to the Lord. It's amazing how much that helps. At some point, a line from "Abide With Me" came to my mind:

Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies!

It brought such joy to me that I still can't help but smile every time I think of it. We've been singing the song in choir this term, and we had finally sung through the entire song that very day. The crescendo in the line sung by the many beautiful voices of my choir in unison is so powerful. It reminds me of when we sang "You'll Never Walk Alone" with the line:

At the end of the storm is a golden sky and the sweet silver song of the lark

Or you may remember my slight obsession with the sky, and the song "High Flight" we sang in Women's Chorus a few years ago.
The sky holds such freedom, and to be pointed to the sky after bursting through the gloom...the imagery is beautiful.
There are few things in this world that make me as happy as singing in choir at BYU, when all the choirs are combined during a concert and there are hundreds of gifted singers lifting their voices together in incredible power and beauty, following the hand of the director so perfectly in unison, sharing the deep emotion of the song.
One of the many experiences I look forward to the most is to be able to sing with thousands upon thousands in praise and joy, singing our best for the Lord in the choirs of Heaven. I hope I will be able to join in a choir like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, except everyone is at their prime and is fully devoted all the time. Perhaps that sort of thing won't exist, but if there were choirs of angels proclaiming the birth of Christ, I'm sure I can spend some of eternity lifting my voice with others. What a beautiful thing that would be!
Blue skies!

Escapé

This seems to be becoming a tradition in my life.
Here's the thing.
I love the internet, I really do. Sort of like this...

It's kind of a love-hate relationship relationship though.
In the past, I've taken breaks from Facebook or all the internet for a week or so. But this time...I'm going all out my friends. One month.
There's no way I can avoid the internet completely, so I will go online for school or church if I have to. I'll check my email, but only from my phone or one of Harold's computers. No Facebook, blogs, Pinterest, Twitter...nothing. Hmm I suppose that means I'll have to do some creative things with my phone...it's too smart for this.
Since I can't go all the way with my internet "fast," and I really want to take away all of the technological time wasters that keep me inside, I'm going to refrain from watching TV and movies alone, and keep from mindlessly playing games on my phone. I want to get out more, even if that just means laying in the grass for an hour instead of sitting in bed staring at a screen.
My only worry with this is how it will affect my general lack of a social life at the moment...but I figure I can go about things the old fashioned way.
Lights will go out starting on Saturday morning.
If you need me, you know how to reach me.
Blue skies.