Gluttony...

Too much of something. That's how I would define gluttony. Most of us only use that term when we think of the "seven deadly sins," but oh, how much more is it in our lives. I used to only think of it in the terms of excess of food, like in this scene from Lord of the Rings.

However - as grotesque as this scene is, I only recently realized that our gluttony - our partaking in needless excess-applies to so many other things.
So, I'm going to talk about why I quit Facebook.
"What, you quit Facebook?!? How are you surviving?" is the response I've gotten recently.
I really hesitated to write on this, because I feel like people would think was just a pious act, done to flaunt my hatred of technology and self-control over other people. But that is so far from the truth.
I loved Facebook. I loved every status update, photo and comment I posted. I love reading about other people's lives. I love looking at other people's posts. And I miss it. I miss telling people about my day, my thoughts, and my frustrations. But, I had to quit. The service, while a very useful tool, was taking over my life.
The first thing I would reach for in the morning was my phone to check what people had posted on my page overnight. I would think in status updates, figuring out how I could make something funny. Sadly, I still think in status updates.
Tonight, I have nothing to do because no one called me. If I were on Facebook, I could've probably looked up what friends were doing tonight. I miss that connection. Honestly, if it were up to me, I would still be on there.
However, I have an accountability partner that holds me accountable to my convictions, and helped me quit. I gave her my password, and she went into my account and deactivated it and changed my password. Sadly, my self control was pitiful. And when I tried to deactivate my account on my own, I would lose my will and log back in after a mere 24 hours.
Today marks one week since I deactivated my account, and I want to say that it hasn't been the ultimate solution to my time-management issues. However, I have come clearly to define the three reasons why giving it up has made my life distinctly better.

• Time. I feel like I have control over my time on the computer better. Not all things are fixed, but I haven't gotten sucked into the Facebook world. Instead, I'm actually reading useful things on the web, like news and helpful blogs. 
• No-comparisons. I'm not comparing myself to other people. Looking at their pictures or relationships and wishing I had what they had. I'm not jealous of people who have more to do than I do. 
• Not over-sharing. While I'm working on it, I'm not compelled to share every tedious and boring part of my life. I'm seeking healthier, more intentional outlets of my frustration. 

So, yeah, this is just the beginning of this journey Facebook-less. And I do think that at some point I might go back to it. But hopefully, this part of giving it up is showing me a side of life I have forgotten about.