I'd always told myself, "I can stop anytime I want."
These are dangerous words, and, prompted by the Sabbath Manifesto's National Day of Unplugging, I decided to see if they were true. Could I power off my iPhone and computer for 24 hours on March 23 and 24? And what might happen when I cut the virtual cord?
It's an idea that gained traction in 2010, when a group of writers, artists and media workers, inspired in part by the Slow Food movement, decided to create a secular version of the Jewish Sabbath tradition to "fight back against our increasingly fast-paced way of living."
Of the 10 principles they espoused for keeping the Sabbath, the first is to avoid technology. Others include: connect with loved ones, light candles, drink wine and eat bread. Since I had planned to make dinner at our home for friends on Saturday night, I figured I could knock off several principles at once, and if there's one thing I like, it's efficiency.
Turns out I'm not alone. Videos of harried young executives expounding on how wonderful it has been to "carve a weekly timeout" are featured on the Sabbath Manifesto's website (sabbathmanifesto.org). Proponents of the cause can sign an online pledge, Tweet or Facebook (or both)their decisions to legions of friends. They can even purchase a cute little cell phone sleeping bag to keep those mobiles warm and cozy during their weekly timeout.
Here's how my day of unplugging went:
Friday: I hear part of a radio talk show about the National Day of Unplugging. One young guy says he can't connect with loved ones without his cell phone; how does he know where and when they will hang out? An older woman says technology allows her to stay connected with her children who are all over the world, and there is no way she'll avoid it, even for one day. While listening, I print out the recipes I'm going to make on my unplugged Saturday, since they are in an app on my phone. And I Google how much active dry yeast is in a package, just in case I have time to make bread.
Friday sundown: I power down my iPhone and computer. We go to a local play, and it's quite good. When we get home, I notice my dead cell phone on the dresser. It looks cold. Maybe I should have gotten it the sleeping bag. I get in bed and read a book.
Saturday afternoon: I cook and cook. The sun comes out. I go for a walk on a beach near my house. It's low tide, and the mud glistens in the sunlight. I realize I have connected with nature, another of the Sabbath Manifesto's 10 principles. Check!
I come upon dozens of perfect, purple sand dollars clustered in the wet gray sand. They are so photogenic. I gaze a bit longer, perhaps because I can't capture the image and share it.
Later Saturday afternoon: After hosing off my muddy feet and calves in the driveway, I grab a beer and sit down on the porch in the sun and read a magazine article. The neighborhood is quiet except for the sound of a lawn mower somewhere, and the sun is delicious as only spring sunshine in Seattle can be. Our cat comes out on the porch with a look that says, "What are you doing just sitting here?" then settles down beside me. A fly lands on my hand, and I watch it rub its front legs together, then switch to its back legs, which might sound gross but is really kind of amazing.
Saturday night: After the dinner party and the dinner party dishes, I power up my cell phone, even though I don't really need to.
Sunday afternoon: I am watching tennis on TV, editing this piece, and waiting for my daughter to call me back on my cell phone. Am I glad I took the unplugging pledge? Sure I am. When I was young, the height of technology was a phone cord long enough to stretch into the bathroom so I could close the door. So I know I can survive without my smartphone and even without Google. But going without was a good reminder that taking a time out from technology can be about thriving, not just surviving. The feel of the sun on my skin, taking the time to read an entire magazine article, hearing the laughter of good old friends around my table -- these experiences might not make a scintillating Tweet or status update. Yet unplugging for a day helped me remember that they make a more meaningful life.
The Sabbath Manifesto's Ten Principles:
1. Avoid Technology 2. Connect with loved ones. 3. Nurture your health. 4. Get outside. 5. Avoid commerce. 6. Light candles. 7. Drink wine. 8. Eat bread. 9. Find silence. 10. Give back.