Technology and Being Quiet

Are we too technologically dependent?

I'm currently writing this on my laptop, and find myself letting it catch my spelling mistakes rather than paying too close attention myself. As I'm writing this, I'm not connected to the Internet, and it amazes me how much it has become an everyday part of my life. I'm used to popping open a browser and checking things out as I have an idea, rather than having to remember things and look into them at a later point. Is that good? Is it good that I can just check out a thought as I have it, or do I lose something by not formulating my ideas into concrete to do lists? What does it say about me that I feel somewhat lost not being able to connect? I don't have access to Google, Facebook, Pandora, or any of the other sites that have become a part of my daily life. I can't sync my files using my dropbox (a great little program if I can give it my own little plug. If you're interested in using it, let me know and I'll invite you – that way we both get 250 Megabytes of storage added to our accounts) and since the laptop has been out of service for a few weeks, I don't have the current version of my files on it locally. Does this bother me? It's an inconvenience, but I think I can survive. However, the fact that being “unplugged,” so to speak, is so very noticeable to me when it happens, makes me more convinced than ever that perhaps we need to unplug regularly. I am becoming more and more of a fan of taking time to be quiet. Watch the sunset. Watch it rise. Sit and listen to the wind. Take some time to see what the Bible says about being quiet. I know I've written about this before, but I'm becoming more convinced that we really need to do it. We are so caught up in the busyness of life, we need to step apart for a time to really appreciate what we have, and to take stock of where we need to go. As it has been aptly said, “Take time to come apart before you come apart.”