Today is the day.

I cannot believe it has taken me so long.  Ridiculous, really.  I am in love with “Hands Free Mama” by Rachel Macy Stafford.  I have taken my sweet time reading it, in hopes that I would absorb it (and in hopes that I wouldn’t completely negate the point by obsessively reading instead of living).  But here we are, at the end of the book, and the number 1 biggest distraction of my life is STILL ON MY PHONE!!!

You guessed it (since it might be yours):  Facebook.

I’ve almost deleted the app a bunch of times.  You know what stops me?  You’re going to laugh.  Well, I guess there’s 2 things.  The first thing that has stopped me every time is when it says “if you delete this app you will delete all of the data.”  It’s a freakin web based program!  I know my stuff won’t be deleted!  But every time,  I kinda panic and hit cancel instead of delete!!!  Ridiculous!!!  The second thing that stopped me was that I liked being able to share photos so quickly and easily.  That is full of good intentions.  But, why worry about sharing them with 400 of my closest friends at the moment of impact?  Shouldn’t I let the moment of impact, impact me more deeply? 

But today, this fine, rainy, cool summer day, I am taking the leap and I am deleting the facebook app from my phone. 

I am pretty sure Rachel Macy Stafford was speaking directly to me in her 12^th and final chapter.  When she uses language like, “This week, protect time with loved ones by creating barriers between you and your distraction (186).” How do you like that one?  

"Daily distractions have a sneaky way of stealing time- that rare and precious commodity that once we lose, we never regain.  Every time we get online to check email, social media, or search the Internet, suddenly a large chunk of time disappears.  Is that really how we want to spend our precious time?  By removing the temptations of the phone and Internet, you will receive the gift of time- time to laugh, time to love, and time to live for what most matters in your life (186)."

How about this one- “Turn off all notifications on your phone (186).” Or just stab me.  Same effect.

That’s just insanity.  I’m pretty sure notifications are directly linked to the oxygen I breathe.  But, fine Rachel- I’ll try this vintage parenting thing.  Vintage parenting, vintage relationships, vintage LIFE.

Rachel, it was so much easier agreeing with you when you didn’t give me literal, tangible assignments.  “Perhaps the simplest yet most effective strategy I used to permanently abandon my highly distracted life was changing the notification settings on my phone (186).”  Well, that sounds… really easy.  Why didn’t I think of that….  Maybe I did, and I was afraid… of paralysis.  Chances are if you are reading this, you may feel that separation-from-devices anxiety as well. And we have a great camaraderie, us that use our phones way to much. 

Well, it’s gone.  The sky didn’t turn dark, the ground didn’t shake, my heart is still pumping blood, and the air does still seem to be full of oxygen. 

Maybe I can do this whole vintage life thing after all… Or, I guess, it's probably just called "life."

Ohhh boy.

This is as far as I've gotten...

It's GONE.

Yes, I know I could delete the contractions app.  But it has all my data from starting labor with Andrew, and I just can't part with that.  Ha!

(Before I send this into the webernet, I should mention that this is my journey, and I am not intending for anyone to feel like I am guilting them in any way.  I’m just trying to evaluate my life and the relationships with who matters most to me, and it seems as though I have been devoting a lot of time to someTHING, rather than the someONES.  Blogging is a great way for me to get my thoughts out in a tangible way, and share with anyone who might give a care.  It’s as inward as it is outward.)