Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Tuesday Slice: When giving up means more to give

"Laissez les bon temps rouler!"  It's Mardi Gras, Pancake Tuesday, Carnivale!  

Until late tonight, I'll be a glutton--of food, social media, mindless video games.  Our traditional dinner will be at our local IHOP (we take Pancake Tuesday literally), where I'll stuff my face with more gluten-laden dishes than I usually have in a season.  I'll go home to vegetate in front of the TV while playing Dots on my phone and checking Facebook updates. I would love to do this until midnight, but alas, elementary school hours and the need to get my teenager to band sectionals the next morning will dictate an earlier bedtime.

Tomorrow, I will fast until dinner.  Without Facebook or Dots to distract me, I will be able to focus on writing two blog posts--my usual Wednesday library update, and the first post of this year's Slice of Life Challenge. I will be supporting new Slicers during the challenge.  In the Lenten days to come, I hope to catch up on writing personal notes to friends and family, weed through physical and digital clutter, and spend more time exercising my body and enjoying nature.  I will celebrate a birthday just five days into this season of preparation--the very birthday that prompted the name of this blog.  I will give myself the gift of time to process what that birthday means.  Barring the unpredictable, I am blessed to be able to think and dream about the future.

Giving up Facebook and digital games will give me time to focus on my inner thoughts and my relationships with others.  Giving up unhealthy foods (except for my birthday--there must be cake for that!) will give me more energy to do the things that bring me joy, which means I'll have more joy to give to others.  Giving up really means getting, and giving, more.

8 comments:

  1. Your post challenges me to fast from social media and such to focus more on being with others via more face to face time and writing letters. Thank you!

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    1. Nice to know I'm in good company with this endeavor. Thanks, Christine!

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  2. Very nice. I'm hopefully in my final recovery days from the "Creeping Crud". Been on Nyquil and Dayquil equivalents for 3 days. Hopefully all will be well for a clown gig later this week. Love Ya, Dad.

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  3. Separating ourselves from things and keeping things quiet can tell us so much about what we need and who we are. Good luck and listen to yourself.

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    1. I definitely need time to be quiet and introspective, without the pull of artificial distractions. Looking forward to your SOLC posts this coming month, Kimberley!

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  4. A social media fast is something I probably need to do! (I understand why kids get addicted to video games.) And I am sure if I would give it up, I would be gaining more!

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    1. I am definitely addicted; I know so when I use it to avoid necessary, much more important tasks.

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