Click the "unsubscribe" button

I've been involved with a rich online program of Lenten study this season that has taken me, so far, on a path of contemplative and centering prayer and meditation practices. Some of the self-awareness that has been stirring in me, through participating in this study, is in regard to how and why I spend time, where and when I do and for whom.  I believe in giving back to the community which so richly supports my life in this small town, so I am involved in community projects - occasionally, I feel overwhelmed and am tempted to throw up my hands and quit them all.  On the other hand, I gain much from outreach with fellow citizens and organizations and am blessed to share their dedicated service. 

Also as I support others, I am supported and strengthened spiritually by a wealth of blog and online friends that I might never meet or know in person.  Furthermore, childhood friends whose presence in my life is undeniably important to the person I am today, even family members that are not close by are met and interacted with through the wonderful internet communication opportunities that we have today.  I wouldn't give these opportunities up for anything.

Yet, while living this gift of life and gift of choice..... choices rich and varied - simple and complex, I realize there are those things in my life that draw me away from the importance of spiritual thanksgiving, prayer, meditation.  For example something as irrelevant to my existence as an email inbox is littered every day (and I do visit it every day, regularly) with offers and pleas from political entities, charitable organizations, marketing and merchandising ploys begging me to buy their goods - even a surfeit of spiritual offerings that is, at times, tiresome and overwhelming in their pleas for the "me now, most important, you can't live without this message" advertising.  I've built that inbox by allowing these day by day, step by step distractions to accumulate and populate my computer and thereby distract my mind often from that which is productive, positive, wholesome, and life-giving.

I spent some time this week scrolling to the bottom of senseless information crowding my space and head, searching out those little, teeny, tiny promises of not bothering me again, labeled "Unsubscribe" and clicking those buttons with fervor!  Often, a box appears with the question of why I am unsubscribing - I seldom write a reason but the explanation could be - "you're killing me with junk, I'm exhausted from reading your claims, your gripes, your guarantees.....etc. You're distracting me from time better spent with God, with my family, with my friends, with my writing, with my own creativity."

So, I guess my question to you today might be - what do you want to "unsubscribe" from?  What's draining your energy, your imagination, your time for family, prayer and meditation?  Why not join me today in finding that little "unsubscribe" button and clicking it..............