The older I get the more appealing the days of my youth appear. I grew up in the 1980’s. There was less busyness and noise in those days. I grew up in the country with two parents who were old enough to be my grandparents. My older siblings were grown and moved out on their own. This resulted in a lot of time by myself for bike rides, soccer, basketball, and video games. I didn’t realize how much I enjoyed the quiet and the time to think. The phone (a rotary phone that was hung on the wall, which worked even when the power was out) did ring, but not continuously. I remember when one of my siblings bought an answering machine and cordless phones for my parents. This would enable my siblings (and whoever else would call) to reach my parents at all times (except for when they weren’t home, but that is what the answering machine was for). I vividly recall both of my parents remarking, “What if we don’t want to be reached?” When the phone would ring, my dad would declare, “We don’t want any.”
My dad was a truck driver and my mom was a stay-at-home mom. They had both grown up poor country kids. As they would say, “We were so poor we didn’t know it.” It is an interesting thought to consider, isn’t it? They would both claim that they didn’t know what they didn’t have because they didn’t know they needed it in the first place. Neither of my parents were Christians, not in the born again sense. Yet, they carried on the vestiges of the Christian consensus that they had both grown up in. They were both readers. It was a common occurrence to see them with a book in their hands in the evening prior to bedtime. They didn’t feel the need to be connected all the time. Noise was not something that they sought out. Their lives became busy because of my involvement in sports. They were very supportive and active in the things I was doing. But, I never recall them viewing busyness as a badge of honor, or as a proof of importance.
I think about those times more now than ever. Some might accuse me of merely being nostalgic or of having a midlife crisis. I think of those times because they were less hectic and more quiet. I had the benefit of growing up in a place where I could explore creation and my own physical limits without a bunch of people around. There was no cellphone in my pocket or even nearby. There was no social media. I didn’t take a picture of or video of what I was doing. I wasn’t concerned about missing an email or getting a text or phone call. I was more likely to be mentally present. The news was not available at any moment of the day. We didn’t talk about things like F.O.M.O. (fear of missing out). We played with toys that didn’t have screens or advertisements. Streaming and binge watching didn’t exist. In fact, if I spent too long watching television my mom would tell me, “Turn that thing off and go outside to play! Get the stink blown off of you.” It was an experience.
Life being like this allowed me to disconnect from busyness and noise. It forced me to be creative. Today I realize the need that I have to be still and quiet. I need to be able to recharge. God has intricately designed us as human beings (Ps. 139:13-16). He calls us to, “Be still and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10a). When we are always on it takes a toll.
How do we, as Christians, ensure that we are still and quiet? Here are some ideas.
Plan time to be still and quiet. Refuse the tyranny of the urgent.
Stay off of technology and social media. Put your phone away.
Go outside and take a walk. If you can, go somewhere beautiful.
Get some exercise (preferably outdoors).
Take your Bible and a notebook somewhere (outside) where you can be uninterrupted. Read some. Pray some. Write some.
Take a drive in the country. Keep the radio off. Silence your phone.
Read a good book.
Go on a date with your spouse.
Play with your kids (not on technology).
Play a game with the whole family.
Any other ideas?