#21 - Unplug completely for 24 hours (no internet, iPhone, television, etc.) (67/101).

In Judaism, every Saturday is Shabbat, a day of rest. A day to disconnect and unplug from distractions and weekday concerns in order to connect to higher pursuits, including faith, family and more. I have never observed Shabbat religiously but over the years have had various Shabbat practices such as lighting candles on Friday night to welcome Shabbat, having Friday night dinner to connect with family and friends and more. I spent this past weekend at Lake Lure and decided to unplug (no internet, phone, tv, screens, etc.) for 24 hours, specifically choosing to tie it to Shabbat.

We live in a world of immediate gratification and instant connection, which can sometimes be a bit exhausting, due to our devices. I have the type of personality where I move quickly, work hard and hardly take time to relax. I wanted to take a day to disconnect from all the weekday concerns in my life and focus on those around me and myself. From Friday night until late Saturday night, I unplugged completely and it was glorious. We spent the day hiking, hanging at a brewery, cooking delicious food, playing board games and more. I did not observe Shabbat in the traditional way that religious Jews do, but I consciously unplugged, creating my own version of sacred space and a day of rest.

Although I was the only one in the group unplugging completely, others used their technology much less than normal. In the moments where I would usually pick up my phone, I instead let my mind wander, asked questions and watched what was going on around me. I had a few moments where I thought to myself, "Oo I need to remember to ___" and instead of pulling out my phone to write it down or text the person, I either wrote it down or tried to store it in my memory to remember for the next day. In a world where anyone I would like to connect with is a few clicks away, it was a weird feeling to consciously choose to not use technology in the moment, even if it was just for 24 hours.

I don't think I will religiously observe Shabbat anytime soon but I enjoyed unplugging for a day. I might even try to make it a ritual to unplug a couple times a year as a way to clear my brain, relax and connect with those around me.