computer free for a day

It's not easy for me to stay away from the computer.  I find myself reaching for the laptop whenever I feel restless or bored or like I need to reach out to an adult of some sort after a long day with the kids.  I also have one of those pesky little iPhones that taunt you with their "don't ya wanna check your email?" and "wonder who's been posting on facebook?" all day long.  It is amazing how much time I spend in front of a computer for someone who doesn't work (well, you know, in the traditional sense of the word anyway...the stuff I do is certainly work).  And sure, here I am right now, typing away as the kids sleep.

But, the other day I decided to take a vacation from my computer.  Let me clarify that a bit - a regular, ordinary day at home away from the computer...not while on vacation or out of wifi range.  One whole, ordinary day (24 hours which ended up being more like 36 - not that I am counting or anything). And, wow...it was wonderful.

I'll admit that the morning was hard.  I always check email in the morning.  Since there usually isn't anything of supreme importance in my inbox, it usually takes only a minute or two and I'm done.  Computer closed.  But, I still check it - every morning.   I think the need (okay, desire) to check my email in the morning is left over from my working days...which really, aren't that far in the past.  (uh-hmm, excuses, excuses)

But alas, I did it...I spend the entire day away from the computer.  No email, no facebook, no blogging.  Not even a second.  I found myself spending more time being in the moment.  I wasn't distracted by that thing that sits on the coffee table.  I didn't have anything I "needed to look up" and I never said to Rowan "just a second, I need to check the weather."  If I didn't know the answer to something, I didn't google it, I just wondered about it a while or I asked someone who might know the answer.  I experienced the rain and didn't care when (or if) it was going to stop.  I did some deep breathing at the park while watching one kid jump off high places and the other kid eat rocks.  After a while, I stopped thinking about it entirely and was here...mothering.  It was nice.  Very nice.

I'm certainly going to do it again sometime soon...like, perhaps tomorrow.  It was that nice.