On Ash Wednesday, we embarked on a project of spiritual de-cluttering, following daily steps out lined in Paula Huston's book, Simplifying the Soul.  We began by simplifying our space, simplifying our spending, and looking for simpler ways to care for bodily needs. Last week we moved into the fourth broad theme: simplifying the life of the mind.  That subject is especially close to me, because I struggle endlessly to attain calm, focused attention in a mentally frenzied world.

On the quest for mental simplicity, author Huston asked us to forego external sources of mental stimulation, one at a time:  television/newspapers, social networking/e-mail, and the cell phone.  Thank goodness she didn't ask that we give them up all at once!  Even taking one at a time, I let them go reluctantly and picked them up with eager anticipation as soon as I could. 

The week of reflective sacrifice made it clear how much I depend on constant engagement with distant people and events.  It is fun to retrieve, in an instant, the "live" scores from key basketball games.  It has become natural to read and respond immediately to e-mails and text messages.  The daily events, observations, and reflections of others on Facebook have become a regular source of give and take.  Finally, I count on the phone for emergencies, whether calling 911 or telling a friend I am running late for coffee.  Letting go was hard to do.

The hardest day called for abstaining from both e-mail and Facebook!  "I thought I was going to die!"  Checking in with virtual friends on my smartphone fills awkward gaps in the day.  It provides the quick break between projects.  It helps in the waiting room and the line at the grocery store.  It is my friend when my other friend is running late for coffee.  It offers an immediate shot of love when I am lonely, and amusement when I am bored.

The practice was also, I admit, somewhat freeing.  It created space in the day, and sometimes-welcome gaps in mental activity.  It interrupted the immediacy between stimulus and response, relaxing the call to action.

Having "fasted" from Facebook and e-mail, I am inspired to consider some new restraints around the practice of continual checking. How about checking e-mail every few hours, not every few minutes?  How about Facebook as a daily treat, not an hourly snack?  I have not taken the steps to make such a significant change, but I am indeed intrigued. I enjoy virtual connectedness, and I value the ease of communication it represents. I also know that constant e-checking impedes the calm, focused attention to which I aspire.

How do you relate to the options for instant communication available in today's world?  Do you engage fully, abstain completely, or employ helpful habits that moderate their impact on other aspects of your life?