Simplicity

I did something completely crazy yesterday. I bought a watch.
For years and years I always wore a watch. I couldn't survive without a watch. But eventually I no longer needed a watch as my cell phone and it's lovely digital time display became a permanent fixture in my hand or pocket.
And then for years I was that girl who couldn't be removed from her Blackberry. And why should I be separated from my Blackberry? You can do everything on it- tell time, send emails and texts, check the news, Facebook, and movie times. Heck, I can even read books and listen to music on my phone. Exactly why would I ever want to not be with my phone?
I gave up a Blackberry for a different model smartphone almost a year ago. My new phone does everything my Blackberry did. We're cool.
But I was and have still been that girl who couldn't put her phone down.
And then something amazing happened last week. I went on Trek and left my phone at home. The youth weren't allowed phones, so I chose to leave mine behind as well. (Funny side effect of this- the youth didn't have cameras! They all use their phones as cameras, so we had a serious lack of cameras on the trip!) I wondered how I would survive with no phone on me.
The answer? Just fine.
It took a few hours before I stopped putting my hand down to find my phone in my pocket. But eventually I stopped reaching for it. It wasn't until late on the second day when I had 5 minutes of quiet to myself that I wanted my phone. After about one minute of sitting alone on a tree stump wishing I had a phone, that I got over it and didn't care anymore.
Just like that, a ten year phone habit broken.
Amazing.
I even left my phone at home yesterday as I ran errands. Granted, it was by accident that I left it, but I realized I didn't need it or care, and I didn't go back for it.
And the world didn't end.
The only problem I really had was that I didn't know what time it was without my phone. So I bought a $10 watch at Target. Problem solved.
I'll be going to Girls Camp in 3 weeks and I just might be leaving my phone at home during that trip as well. Okay, maybe not at home. Maybe I will just leave it in my car and turned off. After all, I might need it for emergencies or problem solving. A responsible leader will have a phone nearby. But I won't need it in my pocket because I'll have my watch on!
After camp I'll be on my way to Cambodia for a month. (I still haven't completely wrapped my mind around that one! I'm going to Cambodia!!) I'll definitely be sans phone during that month. Do you think I'll really be able to survive that long without it? I'll have my watch on. I think I'll be just fine.