This is really about that.

I live with two other women who go through a journal at a consistent rate - the pages are steadily filled through morning or evening rituals, and each year is captured through this dedicated reflection. My journaling, on the other hand, consists of scattered intervals of intensive reflection or creative thinking, with half-filled notebooks that offer glimpses into my childhood, teenage, and now semi-adult years. Even this blog is a testimony to my bouts of inspiration.

There is a movie out about the invention of Facebook. While I use this media, I've never loved it. 'Can't live with it, can't live without it' sort of rings true. I've noticed that my time in Buffalo is creating a habit in me to update my status much more often.... not a big deal, but I can't help wondering why. Perhaps its the prime outlet for the random bouts of inspiration, of finding something significant to myself and wanting to share in the joy or frustration or questioning - big or small. Usually small. But by indulging these whims of status-updates, I think the time really needed to process these potentially significant things is lost. We move on. We don't savour our delight, or critically think about our frustration, or be impacted enough to actually seek an answer. We don't let the little things show us the bigger things.

I read a review about the Facebook film and the movie critic was commenting on the new definition of nostalgia (like 90's clothing being retro...), saying, "Snap judgments elide reflection; there's little space for the long view on Facebook... Perspective requires time, and that's exactly what Facebook takes away from us, and can never give back."

I find this significant - and I won't be updating my status about it - because I see the impact in our lifestyle. In my slowly developing campaign for holistic health, I see the impact of our media culture playing into our daily activities, and its one of disconnect and segmentation. I think this arises from these rapid transitions we try to accomplish... our lack of perspective because of the lack of time we allow ourselves.

When I journal, it's to gain perspective. When I deny myself perspective, I really think I am also denying God a chance to get inside my head. I don't think this means everyone needs their morning pen & paper date, but I do think it means learning how to process the significant moments in our lives - because often its something small that impacts us most, and it just needs time for us to really see why. How 'this' is really about 'that'.

And 'that' is significant.