Slow Phones

My phone was slow this morning.  Yes, I know this is a first-world problem, but I'll complain anyway.

Stories and messages were taking what seemed to be an eternity to load up.  I wanted to see things now and felt myself becoming impatient.  As I stared at screen with gray boxes rather than images related to news stories my frustration mounted.  That's when the irony of the situation made itself know.  This is Advent.  Waiting and patience are to be welcomed.  We're supposed to slow down.  So I lay my phone down to do other things.

It wasn't that long ago that smart phones didn't exist.  In the Arcadia of memory, I was super productive, reading Balzac, helping the hungry, and doing other amazing things with my time.  Now it seems I waste my time looking at screens.  Of course, in the past, I wasn't as virtuous as I imagine nor am I as lost in cyberspace today.  But it's something to think about.  How are we spending out time?  Is the reality conforming to our ideals -- or do we compromise those ideals to fit reality.  Advent is a time when we should think about all of this.

I don't know why my phone was slow this morning, but that doesn't really matter.  Jesus is still coming, and he'll do so at his own pace.  Thanks be to God for Advent, when we have time to slow down and get ready.

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