Disengage... Reengage...

Every so often I get consumed by all of the technology around me. I need to be connected and embedded (to a certain degree) because of my job. But too many times I am tied to technology when I don't have to be. This also becomes a convenient way to avoid the things that need to be a priority in my life. It's just too easy to have technology so close at hand.

After working on the lawn today, I walked down to the diner for breakfast. I left the phone (my connection to the internet, Facebook, Twitter, email, texts, etc.) at home. The phone needed a good charge anyway. It was amazing how much more I paid attention to my neighbors, my street, traffic(!), and everyone at the diner. It was great to hear about one of my favorite waitresses victories with working out, losing weight, and stopping smoking. It was incredibly freeing to disengage and reengage.

One of my friends just came back from working on a medical mission overseas and is having trouble with reentry to life here in some areas. Another has been there in the past and even more are there now with a team of medical specialists. Another is heading back overseas very soon to help with orphanages and simple survival needs (i.e. clean water(!)) for at least his fifth time! To disengage from a high level of ever consuming technology and go be a part of life changing events is incredibly powerful.

All of this started me thinking on the way home why I don't do this more often. Talked to God for a while about it and think it is time to attempt a true "disengage... reengage..." on a grander scale - at least for a week or two.

For at least a week, I am going to turn Facebook and Twitter notifications off. I'll still have to be on Twitter for my security research (@PCSecurityGuy) but need to step back from the encompassing "boa constriction" that technology has had on me. I'll check into Facebook, Twitter, email, and texts maybe once a day. The phone and TV will go off more and will be left behind in an attempt to reconnect with the world around me. Still need to answer direct emails and texts but as a whole... it's time to walk away for a bit and find the rest of the world I've started to become numb to... it should be an interesting learning experience.

Two books have sat next to the bed for way too long. Brennan Manning's, "The Ragamuffin Gospel", and "Soul Cravings" by Erwin McManus. Both of these are too rich in content for one reading but contain portions much easier digested in small bites. Ragamuffin Gospel contains a spiritual retreat chapter that I am simply going to read, meditate, and comment on as I attempt this whole disengage.

As they say, stayed tuned for further announcements... and pray for me.

This ain't easy for an ubergeek...