A Good Old-Fashioned Technological Campfire

Last night, we had such wonderful brisk weather that I decided to start up a nice campfire in our fire pit.  After a roaring fire was underway, I sat back, communing with nature and enjoying the peace, quiet and tranquility for a full 8 and a half minutes.  Then I went inside and got my laptop computer and brought it out by the fire.

Since our house has Wi-Fi and I was close by the house in our back yard, I went on-line.  I tried to “Skype” Taylor but he didn’t appear to be on line.  So, I checked out Facebook and made a few comments.  Then I browsed a couple of web sites and looked up a book that I heard about on Amazon.  And, suddenly, it hit me.

“What am I doing?” I thought.  “I’m outside, relaxing, enjoying nature.  I’m engaging in something as primal and visceral and natural as humanity itself—sitting in front of a  fire—and I’m on the Internet at the same time?!?  This is nuts!”

I realized that this was one of those pivotal moments.  This was one of those moments where we would see what kind of person I am.  Am I going to be one of those people who is hopelessly tethered to the matrix-like artificial life of the web?  Even while I’m in the very presence of the natural wonder and beauty of all the strip malls of Oak Lawn?

“No!” I said, out loud.  And I stomped my foot for emphasis.  I refuse to live with the sad desperation of someone who needs the constant stimulation of a computer connection to feel alive and fulfilled.  “I do not need this computer!” I shouted as I stood up and cast the vile machine into the fire.

Well…okay…that last part just happened in my mind.  I didn’t actually throw the computer in the fire.  That would be a very expensive way of making a point.  But I did turn it off.

“There!” I said with satisfaction.  And then I sat down, took a few deep breaths and turned my attention back to the soothing rhythms of the flaming fire.  “Yes,” I thought, “this is better.  So much better.  This is the natural pace at which we were meant to live.”

And I spent the next hour simply relaxing, watching the dancing flames, and texting back and forth with several friends.

“Yep, this is how the pioneers used to do it,” I thought, as my phone softly beeped, signaling the arrival of a fresh text message.