Inspired to Simplify (and a lost cell phone charger)

Here's the thing about the Stuff Stand-off: it inspires me to simplify. Now that we've started to limit our stuff intake, we've found ourselves wanting to downsize, downgrade, or just plain get rid of all kinds of things around us. We've pored through our wardrobes getting rid of clothes we no longer wear. We've decided to donate our desktop computer (more on that in another post) and the desk it sits on because the laptop at the dining room table suffices. We've canceled our land line and are getting rid of that phone. We've given away furniture and various other items from around the house. And, my most recent decision, I've technologically regressed and decided to change the nature of my relationships with my iphone and go back to an old-fashioned flip phone. That's right, the kind that makes calls and sends text messages, and that's about it (ok, it has an alarm, but my iphone could practically do my laundry, so an alarm is nothing).

A month or so ago I started thinking about getting rid of my iphone in part because of a meditation my rector led at a vestry meeting. We talked about how messed up we are getting because of our constant technological stimulation, and how our ability to focus was waning because of how often we have our head in our phone, computer, whatever. I immediately related to this, as I have an unhealthy relationship with the iphone to be sure. My husband jokes that it's the third party in our relationship. Haha. But seriously? He's kind of right. I mean, this device can do ANYTHING! How can I not love it? How can I leave it behind when we go out for dinner? What if I want to show him a picture I took that day? What if we wanted to email that picture to his parents so they could see? What if we wanted to go to a movie - how would we know the show times without the phone? What if something significant had happened in the news that day and I needed to see the New York Times? What if we got lost on the way to the restaurant and needed my GPS? I mean, think of all the things that can go wrong without the iphone!...

...so you see what I mean. It was getting to be a little much. And I decided that I wasn't nearly as important as my iphone makes me think I am. I get work emails, sure, but they are mostly about scheduling outreach meetings or pool party RSVPs. When someone really needs me, they can call me. On my flip phone.

To be fair though, there was something else that went into the decision to downgrade. While I was going back and forth about getting rid of the thing, and starting to lean towards keeping it (loving it, writing a song about it, dancing with it in the kitchen), this other thing happened. I went away to a conference and left my charger there. Oops.

Now I still have a cord at work that connects the phone to the computer to sync and charges it simultaneously. And I have a car charger, which I thought would be enough. But as it turns out, I'm not in my car or at my desk for long enough periods of time to charge the thing. The battery starting showing as dangerously low all the time. After a week of driving around town in my car just to charge the battery I decided that the universe was telling me something.

Back when I had first had the idea to downgrade I had made a plea on Facebook for an old AT&T phone because of course, I couldn't buy one. No one responded, which is when I elatedly decided to stick with what I had. Then a few days ago one of my parishioners showed up at church with a couple of options for me. So I was kind of out of excuses. I also realized that I could still use my iphone for some of it's fun features - as an ipod, to play movies, and for my little friend Emma to play piano and bubbles. But it wouldn't function as a phone. Basically, that means not being able to check my email, or the news, or You Tube, or whatever at any hour of the day from any location. Which in the long run, might just be better for me and my pscyche.

In the end, it's not just the phone I'm downgrading, but my sense of importance. The world will not fall apart if I can't check my email every hour. I can find other ways to get movie show times. And the best part? If people want to schedule something with me they'll have to email me at the office. And maybe, just maybe, I'll be more careful about how I schedule my time.

We'll see how this works. I feel a little funny with this regular little phone, and I can't send a text message in under ten minutes to save my life. But I'm confident I'll get better. There is something remarkably freeing about it all. My husband comes home from a mission trip tonight, and I can't wait to tell him there's only two of us in the marriage again...