S1CRW21CD

S1CRW21CD Does that capture your attention?!

Bing. Buzz. Hmmhmm. Pop. Pow.. and the sounds continue.

So many sounds, sites and thoughts distract us every single waking day, hour, and even minute at times. Unless devices are intentionally tucked away, my thoughts fight to stay on track. Focus, Evie, focus. Two plus two is?.. What's the weather in Malibu at 5:00?.. What's the best chef knife on Amazon?.. Shucks! The window-cleaner deserves a positive review to grow his business... Focus. Focus. One constant stream of thought.

To reasonably process a moment without veering off to another zone, or wonder what someone else would have thought, or done, about a similar issue would be ideal. To process alone in my own brain. How novel!

I am capable of making good decisions, but its been a while since relying on just my own mind. This has got to change.

Oh, yes, back to the top...S1CRW21CD

One author* wrote "We are seeking 1st Century relationships with 21st Century distractions." Brilliantly stated. So brilliant, it should be coded for awareness --S1CRW21CD

The author expounded that we may be longing for closeness with others and increasing challenging with so much pulling us away from one another. There's a lot of good stuff out there in every shape and color, and so much not-so-good, but is this diversion actually working against us?

I want a 1st Century Relationship. Do you?

The notion of a simpler, less complicated, complex era is why the Retro page came into being. 'kind of fun to play with the idea. If this was 1972, for example, people actually met with one another regularly to -- get this -- talk.. and maybe catch a flick or a play and critically discuss it afterward -- and then talk some more. Times like that expand our minds and enable us to finish thoughts. Mind you, I may be "glamorizing" 1972. I was only 8 then -- and the world was a little rosy. I didn't know what was going on politically -- and it wasn't discussed in my home..at least that I am aware. We didn't have bobble-heads rattling hourly about what the President was, or wasn't, doing or discussing the many tragedies happening around the world.

Ya' got a newspaper in the morning and read what transpired the day after -- and usually knew only things that pertained to your local life. I wouldn't know a gazillion miscellaneous, potentially vital, or tragic heartbreaking articles about people & events around the globe -- and it wasn't even on my radar or on my heart to know.

Yes, life was much different then, but we were more deeply involved with each other locally. I did know if someone was hurting, or if my neighbor was going on vacation, or the color of my best friend's new curtains, or which Girl Scout badge she was working toward. We marched in local parades, sold cookies door-to-door, and knew lots of things about people in our town. I can still taste Misses Glaser's saccharin & mint-laced Nestea and fresh peach ice cream on a NJ-humid July day -- all which tasted so good after a chlorinated swim.

Life was simple.

How can we get back to days like that?

Maybe stash the phone at the end of the workday. Ingenious & useful apps are created and offered for free even, but which are "a giant leap for mankind" and which are cleverly luring us away from our minds and others? Has any self-help book or article demonstrated or proved that we ought to use our phones more? Evidence is quite the contrary, so perhaps a first step is using this clever alluring device less.

As for fashion in 1972 -- hubba-hubba! What style! If only I had some of that stash in my closet today! Back then, I was wearing Danskin outfits -- kinda' like Gar-animals for dancers -- and not very hip at 8.

In 1972, people dropped in for coffee. You didn't go to some public loud buzzing establishment and pay $4 for a coffee milkshake. You had coffee in each other's homes. No frills. Just real. People made time for each other because they weren't so "busy." Ya' just dropped by at a respectful hour when you were pretty certain they weren't getting dinner on the table.

Whatever happened to the phone "buzz?" You phoned to make sure someone got home, or they were thinking of you & the buzz recipient knew to call back when they had time. It rang only once. Just a buzz. No voicemail, but you knew who was calling by the promise to give a "buzz." When you had time to yourself to sit and chat, you called back.

Why ARE we so busy? It's a shame really. We think we're connected, but we're actually not very close. I have been wanting to get close to some, but the reality is these lovely people have husbands, wives, children, local family members, jobs, obligations, their parakeets, their plants, their nails, their email, and their own busy minds that respectfully take priority over spending time together. I understand, but how does one create this 1st Century Relationship?

Maybe when/if I have a sweetheart, I will be equally preoccupied. Maybe the space is there so my honey isn't shelved for other people and things.

All we have is time with one another. This is what we are here to be and do. To relate and be Jesus' hands and feet.

There is no hobby more important.

No work more vital.

Time with others is the most important part of living.

Some friendships are light and airy, some more intimate and some are in between. Sometimes they vacillate, ebbing and flowing based on circumstances and sometimes they drift away intentionally or unintentionally. Instead of putting them in a box and trying to classify, I intend to enjoy each connection for what it is and not measure if it is more valuable than another. Each is a gift.

Each is a gift.

No hobby more important.

No work more vital.

For however much you can spare, I am 'seeking a 1st Century relationship with 21st Century distractions.'

Will you join me for a spell without distraction?

Wanna' drop by for an ice cream cone?

Together, let's pretend it's 1972.

Shalom.