A grandmother’s epiphany: Can I find Joy Off the Grid?

What were the longest 48 hours in YOUR Life?

A mere 2,880 minutes. 172,800 seconds. How hard could it be to live through something like that?

I have always been fascinated by time my entire existence on this earth. The old film of the 1960s, The Time Machine with Yvette Mimieux, takes a scientist into the future to find a Utopian society. Or maybe you remember, Back to the Future, where they find out you never really know what your parents were like when they were our age.

I am sure that with a bit of research, I would find Einstein's and Stephen Hawking's thoughts about time travel too!

Even with my infatuation with time and time travel, I recently experienced a 48-hour journey into h*ll. Yep, time, as I knew it, was gone.

Worse than standing still, the hours, minutes, and seconds seemed to be moving at a snail's pace, with no end in sight. No one around me could see the minutes freezing or the night shadows playing tricks as I wonder if I was in an alternate universe, my personal Twilight Zone.

My ability to gather information stopped and the connection to the outside world I came to rely on was lost. I was adrift and alone in a vast array of humanity. I was on this journey alone.

Did I wish these 48 hours happen to me? No, it was thrust upon me, and I was not prepared for this.

Of course, I should have been. I remember a time that when you needed to gather information, you went to the library building eight blocks away. I grew up talking across the fence with neighbors to have the human connection we all require, and yes even learned to sit in a small group and entertain ourselves by singing into candlesticks or playing in the cubby hole.

Today, in the world of connecting, my connection was lost. Literally. I had no Internet.

Some of you may be shocked that this should have such a devastating effect on me, but I kid you not. I now truly understand what it would be like if our grandkids were not connected. I have walked in their shoes!

If you have been following our blogs and posts, you know that we have been a big proponent of screen-free days and participating in activities where the only equipment required is our brain and imagination. That, however, has been shattered. These 48 hours taught me one important lesson. Balance, not absolutes, is the key.

Let me take you on a trip down memory lane. After all, it was only 32* years ago that the mainstream world was internet free.

So, why is this important? Because 32 years ago, our grandkids weren't around, and the world that we spend so much time reminiscing about or reminding them of better times is long gone. The phrases we have probably used with them, include, "when I was a kid…" or "back in the day…." This is as out of date as talking to them about life for kids in ancient Egypt.

I am not saying to throw away our desire to spend time connecting with people and nature, but I am saying that some good has come out of change. Change is constant, and blending the old, AND the new will make for a better future.

Let's have some fun with this situation. Pose questions and activities to try for yourself or with your grandkids. Some that are front of mind include:

- What would I do if I don't have connectivity for 48 hours?

- How would you gather information?

- Which friends would you get together with face-to-face? What would you do?

- What would you do different if you didn't have Internet 1 day a week…forever?

Now go and try it.