A week after my husband’s return, we took my daughter in our RV on a camping trip in the woods. Rest and relaxation. A beautiful spot with mountain air, a meandering river and a cathedral of trees.
I knew in advance that this location had no Wifi or cell reception; I just didn’t realize until I got there how connected I had become.
Due to the circumstances of my husband being overseas and going through a lockdown at home, I have grown mindlessly attached to my phone. I carry it with me wherever I go, and many times I even catch myself on games or social media while watching TV.
There are at least a dozen apps I refer to daily, some several times a day. A mix of social media, health and fitness, games, news, spiritual and meditation, music, audio books and writing apps. The danger in this is that these apps I’ve set up to manage and enhance my life have become my life.
My email correspondence has also multiplied and increased in demand. I’m helping a few people edit book manuscripts, and in the middle of several home renovation projects (a result of the Great Flood of 2020). I’m also communicating with three different school districts, as a parent and a teacher, about what the hell we’re going to do about school re-opening (oh and whether or not I’ll even have a job to go back to due to the massive budget shortfall and pending teacher layoffs).
All these emails involve feedback, decisions, choices and details. It’s information overload at its finest.
The first night camping, I lay down in the RV bed with my phone next to me, indicating nothing but the time and I felt this release wash over me. Like walking into the quiet after you’ve been in a really loud music venue. I experienced the release of expectation and comparison. Freed myself from the search for validation in the form of likes, or hearts, or views. Stepped out of the passive role of input gatherer and into the active role of life liver.
Away from the virtual world, I realized how many of my thoughts are shaped by the screen information I receive. And how quickly thoughts become identity. How strong is my desire to please the online communities I am a part of. How constant are my observations that others are doing it better or saying it better or looking way better doing or saying it.
It’s exhausting. And I do it to myself. I didn’t know how tired I was until I stepped away from the technology that makes my life a minefield of inadequacies.
Out in the woods, I did not know who posted what or how many people liked it. I did not read the toxic news stories that always make me feel helpless and full of despair. I did not count calories or exercise minutes. I did not check inboxes or text messages.
What I did do was experience my days and nights in real time, with real people in front of me. I took lots of pictures of the varieties of textures and colors on display in nature—sights that no filters could enhance. A meadow of wildflowers at daybreak. The determined flow of the cold, clear river. The sweet melty richness of S’mores around the campfire.
Not all perfect moments…this is life. There were also mishaps and irritations. Pesky bugs, noisy neighbors, a furry friend nibbling and scratching under our floor at night. Oh, and me falling flat on my back when I slipped on a granite slab in the river (sore but thankfully unharmed).
But each moment, perfect in either beauty or misery, was experienced first-hand, in real time, without need to question the narrative or compare the outcome.
Being sober now also enhanced my ability to savor the experience and take it all in. I feel blessed to have the chance to take these trips with the filter of alcohol removed, as that filter always clouded out the present moments that I am now learning to cherish.
So three days on a trip without the online world was a gift of time, and simplicity. A chance to recharge, reconnect and remember who I am. And that who I am is always good enough.
It sneaks up on us how attached we are to our phones. The best test is to go where there’s no WiFi. The photos are beautiful. Hope you are refreshed.
Doesn’t it though?Thank you, dear one.💕
Living right is wonderful. Great post.
Thank you, Jim!
I like this real time in so many ways. We don’t even realize the amount of “noise” we expose ourselves to until suddenly there is peace. Us humans are an interesting bunch.
Looking forward to more camping posts/pictures from you. Glad you all could spend some quality time together😊. Hope your back is doing okay?
Thank you, Dwight! We’re doing well, recovered from the adventure and getting ready for the next one. I hope you are well. Hugs to you! 💕
Who you are is way beyond good enough Collette! Great post. Scenery looks fab. Glad you got the RV out at last xxx
Thank you, friend! It’s good to get away and remind ourselves of that! 💕
Magical photos! <3
Thank you! 💕
❤️❤️❤️
First and foremost, loved your family trip – time with your hubby and little angel girl; awesome to hear about your disconnect from the digital world and happy for the realizations on how it affected you.
Like Dwight said, “real time” is good and it sounds like it was just what was needed 😉 Beautiful scenery – so envious.
Great post, love the photos❣️🤗
Thank you, Teri! It was great to be restored and have beautiful nature to reflect on instead of the heaviness of the world right now. I feel fortunate for the opportunity. 💕
What a nice getaway. I hear everything you said here… as I read on my phone in bed in the dark. I find myself on the phone so much at night, especially when I can’t sleep. Good reminder to unplug and just live. Glad you enjoyed your time and your family! ❤
Thank you, Janet. Yes, I find if I’m connected and it’s near me I tend to use it. I would have it out of the room at night but I have teenagers and older parents. Anyway, it was a good reminder for me to put it down and look around!! Hope you’re well! 💕
That sounds amazing. We are going on a trip to nature in August, and I can’t wait! It’s so cool that you have your own RV. Fun! Lovely photos. I’m so glad you had a great time, unplugged. Love it!
Right, that’s it I’m going to find somewhere with no wifi and spend time there. Sounds great! X
Looks so beautiful and so deserved for you! Hope your back is ok after your fall xx💞💞
wow, beautiful pictures 🙂 It feels so good to disconnect and reexperience life directly, without a screen in between us and the world around us 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it with your loved ones ! xxx Anne
sweet… as you know i just recently got “away from it all” for a few days as well and it was refreshing( albeit i did suffer from some intestinal bug the whole time) . I had wifi but was pretty much disinclined to spend much time on it- didn’t even watch any netflix. I’m happy to se you got some nature in! Hugs!!
You are so much more than good enough. That place looks great and you all deserve a bit of that. x
I can relate on so many levels! Disconnecting is a gift we can easily give to ourselves, but we so rarely do.
I went on so many camping trips drunk and never got to enjoy my beautiful surroundings. I haven’t gone while sober, but it’s on my to-do list for sure.