I change the station faster than I flip channels on television as I search for just that song that fits my mood. I have ten stations programmed into my car radio for my daily commute. Lady Antebellum, Lady Gaga, Rob Thomas, Chevelle are just a few that I am willing to let the knob rest on as I drive. Anything catchy will do.
But it had to stop. Interneting consumed my thoughts at work and often at home, and car time was one of the few times I was unplugged. And during car time, I couldn't bear my own thoughts: everything was boring; I just want to get home; I need a distraction from this traffic or this long red light. Radio was the solution. Like the web, it enabled me to flutter around, never lingering on one station for too long in pursuit of the opening chords of my favorite song.
The radio was allowing me to completely banish having to deal with my unentertained mind. Just like clicking on the next related article, I clicked songs that I didn't even like. I listened to songs that were meaningless or had questionable moral lessons just to get away from dealing with where I was.
Why not listen to Christian rock? Because I don't like it. Don't get me started.
Why not listen to CDs? I did, for a time. I had loftier things and things I liked much better on CD (from the Cranberries to Josh Groban and an especial liking for medieval music and chant). But I got lazy with the CD changer (my car doesn't have an iPod plug in) and never switched the CDs. The radio was my respite from laziness and boredom. Just like what TV and the internet can become.
My thoughts stopped being in complete sentences and morphed into lyrics stuck in my head:
"Stop calling, stop calling. I don't wanna think anymore. I left my heart and my head on the dance floor."The loss of coherent thoughts greatly troubled me. And then I had a realization: books are the answer. I needed to return to reading for pleasure. Books do not allow you to change the channel; they require complete focus. Books hone the memory because they require you to remember past events (or arguments) and connect them with the ones on the current page. If you read something of substance (ie not a romance novel), you will actually learn something. Or if it's literature, you will also engage in great philosophical constructs and lessons about the meaning of life. Books are quiet. They require your effort instead of just spraying rewards to the pleasure centers in your brain.
And now when I drive, I can think about the books or God or prayer.
The radio is off. We have no cable with which to watch TV. And I try to limit my time online.
The results: more meaningful thoughts, mindful days that aren't filled with mere distraction, more time, more time for God. It's not perfect, but it's a start.
But do not think I'm saying that TV, the internet or the radio are evil. All of them can be good or bad depending on how we use them. I had just gotten to a point where my use of them was greatly interfering with my spiritual life.
Are there any distractions that have taken over your life? Do you think the author's solution was drastic? What do you do something in your life gotten out of hand?
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Comments (13)
I definitely agree that internet and music have been major problems for me in the past. That continues to this day, and if I don't monitor myself, my appetite will grow, as it has wanted to do since I was introduced to such things.
Definitely do not think the author's steps were drastic. There comes a time to unplug ... and after awhile, you don't really miss what you left behind.
I couldn't do it. Music is one of the most important things in my life. Music to me is like jesus to you. I can't just drive without Jesus man.
It's always nice coming back from a retreat or something and not wanting the radio on or anything. Sometimes we all just need time for God and less time for the things on this world.
Thanks for reminding me that I love Medieval and Renaissance music. I haven't listened to any in a long time. Books are great. You could listen to books on tape in your car if you wanted to. As for songs stuck in my head, *all the single ladies, all the single ladies* took over a few years ago and hasn't let go since. I just ignore it now. Every now and then I check and...wait a minute......yup, it's still going. :P
Music does sooth the savage beast though. I listen to music when I wake up. I might throw on Le Nozze di Figaro, Petrushka, or an Orbital, Prodigy, or Underworld CD. I view music as a positive. It does effect our brain patterns in some positive ways. I find it too distracting to drive to though.
Well, video games to be honest. But don't tell anybody!
Music. I absolutely love it. And why does it seem like there's a rehash of "What distracts you?" post every week or two?
I've always been fond of Blaise Pascal's notion that people often have noise in the background constantly because the genuine self-examination that occurs in extended quiet moments is very uncomfortable for most of us.
Your entire post was contained in the last paragraph.
You were out of balance. "Seek Ye first the Kingdom of God..." When we start our day with quiet time before the Lord, concentrating on His Word, and listening for his voice. No distractions. Get out of bed 30 mins earlier, go to your quiet place, read a pre-selected passage from the Bible and pray on it, then be still...do the same thing at night. Turn off the TV, shut down the computer, be still and listen for God. Read Scripture. Pray. Watch a sunset, rejoice in that beauty that God has made.
Radio has its place. It is not a sin to listen to whatever while you drive, Satan is tricking you into believing that unless your every waking moment is focused on God, on the Bible (you ought to be memorizing scripture constantly, etc.) then you are a damned sinner. Wrong.
Jesus taught us to be balanced. There were times He prayed to His Father in private, away from his disciples, away from everyone. There were times He prayed in front of everyone, at the synagogue, with his close friends one on one or in small groups. He was in constant communication (he communed) with His Father, but that is not the same as being constantly focused on God above everything else. That would be like telling God "You created the earth and everything in it as a distraction to keep me from focusing on You!) Jesus also hung out with his friends and teased and laughed, and worked side by side. He always poked fun at his friends James and John, the sons of Zebedee. He always called them the "Sons of Thunder!". Even his stepfather thought he was a normal kid, then a normal young man as he worked side by side with him doing carpentry. I am sure they laughed over every day incidences, dogs chasing their tails, cats chasing each other up trees, etc. Jesus did family stuff, went to synagogue, went to wedding parties, wept at funerals, etc.
Crank the car radio up. Roll up the windows and sing - badly and loudly- and be thankful God gave you ears to hear and a voice with which to sing. When you do whatever, do it with enthusiasm and zest, getting that underlying drive from your relationship with God. That is truly communing with God.
@Nous_Apeiron@xanga - that is because Satan causes us, by nature, to be self-damning, self-demeaning, negative, inconfident, etc., Why? Because we are created in Gods image. And it pains God when we allow Satan to make us think this way. God has forgiven us and we are new creations in His sight. We are forgiven, we need to start acting like it. God says, "alright, you sinned against me, you were a bonehead. Now I forgive you, stop acting like a bonehead and be the loving, joyous, kind, gentle and caring soul I know you are. I KNOW you are, I made you!" but we still slink around with our tail between our legs, carrying this burden of guilt, sin, misery, sadness. Why?Satan! God forgave you already! God loves you! He knows that you will again make mistakes, have dumb attacks. But He loves you so much He will forgive you and come to you with a big hug, and say " I love you so much!. Be happy, let your heart sing out".
Now dump all that guilt nonsense already and dance in front of the Lord, praise His name, leaping and dancing before the Lord!
@Ork58@xanga - "Satan is tricking you into believing that unless your every waking moment is focused on God, on the Bible (you ought to be memorizing scripture constantly, etc.) then you are a damned sinner."
There is a difference between the guilt that Satan plagues us with and conviction given to us from God. Why NOT focus as much as one can on God? We are all sinners no matter what, so that is not the reason we should be focusing more on God. We should be focusing more on God because it is what we were created to do. We are convicted to not be conformed to this world, and that includes not letting yours ears and mind be exposed to things that would not be pleasing to God. Could you honestly see yourself listening to a Lady Gaga song with Jesus? Would he approve? I doubt it. It is okay to listen to songs on the radio in and of itself, but it is important to be careful of what you expose your hearts to.
Books ftw! If that's what it takes to get you thinking deeper again, I think it's just super. I personally am pretty much always listening to music, no matter what I'm doing.
And I hate to have to tell you this, but you misquoted the Lady. She left her head and her heart, not her heart and her head.
@lcf - I dunno, I think Jesus could get down to GaGa. I see Jesus as a huge advocate for accepting people who are different, as someone who scorns religious and social formulas.
@Nous_Apeiron@xanga - agreed!
should be focusing more on God. We should be focusing more on God because it is what we were created to do
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