Sacerdotal tyranny

Since all the folks who might be prone to tease me about this have already had their hearty laugh at my expense, I think I'll go ahead and share with my whole blog readership why I have been missing from the Web for lo, these many days. It was a member of the clergy who made you all suffer the sucking vacuum of my absence. I was grounded from the Internet, from Tuesday until today, by a priest who looked very kindly but proved to be remorseless. Just because I'd confessed to wasting time web-surfing! All right, the web-surfing had caused me to neglect other things. All right, I had also resolved to cut down on the Internet during Lent. But still! "For a penance, let me try to help you keep that resolution," Father told me with pleasant demeanor, and then hit me with: "No internet at all until Sunday." I begged for the use of email, at least, since that's how I make plans with friends, and he allowed it-- for fifteen minutes a day, no more. "That should be plenty of time to make your plans." "Wow," I squeaked, rapidly trying to think of all the things I wouldn't be able to do, "that's hardcore." He didn't budge, but absolved me and sent me on my way with a cheerful, "I know you can do it!"

It was a curious thing: I walked out to my car feeling unusually peaceful. "Thank goodness I won't waste any time on the stupid web today," I was thinking. Till then I hadn't been aware of how much the unsuccessful struggle was wearing on me. Now my weak will was braced with an iron penance, and I felt relieved. I later remembered that right before confession I had actually been praying hard to God for help in that area, so thanks be to Him and be careful what you pray for!

I went on to have a lovely week: got all kinds of chores done, including a few things I'd been putting off for months, and talked more with people and felt more recollected. Also wasted too much time watching TV, as my internet habit sought a substitute-- but at least my screen time was reduced. And except for my friends' blogs I didn't miss the net at all. That probably just goes to show something, but I'm trying not to learn what. :)