I like to drive. Even more specifically, I like to drive my car without the radio on. In what I know is a sure sign of some shortcoming, I even pay for a Sirius satellite subscription—which I rarely use.
When I was a much younger man attending theological seminary in Pennsylvania, I drove back and forth across the country several times a year. Because I was a poor student (cash not grades), I had what would be called today a minimalist automobile.
It had a manual transmission, no A/C, and no radio. But JR (Yes, the car had a name.) got about 42 miles per gallon, which served my poor student purposes pretty well! It’s amazing what there is to see and hear when you drive across this country. It’s even more interesting to embrace the silence over the course of 2522 miles.
I realize that I am now sounding like the older guy in the office. And that’s ok. On any given day, I am immersed in an organization of about 2500 people, a majority of whom are under the age of twenty-three. And it is only on the rarest of occasions that I run into another person who isn’t checking their iPhone, walking with earbuds, or watching a YouTube program.
In fact, a recent Stanford University study revealed that people check their phones, on average, 600 times a day. Unlike many people my age, I also understand that there is a lot of communication happening through the iPhone, earbuds, or YouTube. This is our life today, and it’s not all bad. However, I am also aware of the fact that some of the biggest breakthroughs or innovations happen when people make time to think and reflect.
Ester Schaler Bucholz writes about this topic in her book, The Call of Solitude: Alonetime in a World of Attachment. She writes, “[o]thers inspire us, information feeds us, practice improves our performance, but we need quiet time to figure things out.” And she’s right. Having access to a nearly unlimited amount of information which can then be consumed in a variety of different ways is of less use if we’re not able to carve out time to think, to reflect, or to “…figure things out.”
And Bucholz isn’t the only person encouraging us to think. Warren Buffett, founder of Berkshire Hathaway, spends about 80% of his working day reading and thinking. What used to seem odd in the frenetic investment world, is now seen to be cutting edge. Thinking can be profitable![bctt tweet=”Warren Buffett spends about 80% of his working day reading and thinking. Thinking can be profitable!” username=””]
About seven years ago, I ran into a student who did not have a cell phone. I was so surprised by this contemporary anomaly that I asked him about it.
“Is something wrong? Did you lose your phone? Did you forget to pay your bill?” I asked.
“No,” he said. “I’m just really more interested in talking to people face-to-face.”
After his first year, that student went on to become an RA (Resident Assistant); the upper class student who helps first year students acclimate to living in a Residence Hall. He was one of the best RAs we ever had because he was relational. Today he is an elementary school teacher.
I have been taking long drives for over thirty-five years. My mind no longer follows a specific pattern of thinking when I’m driving, but I do seem to cover quite a bit of “thought” territory. To this day, I keep a writing tablet and pen in my car to capture pertinent thoughts.
Easter is over, so I can’t suggest that you give up your iPhone for Lent, but I can suggest that you get an app like Checky to help you monitor your usage. Technology is a wonderful resource, and some forms of technology can also be addictive. Our minds are also a wonderful resource. They give us the ability to think, reason, ponder, imagine, and even create.
And when we pay attention, our minds also help us to connect with other human beings; that’s called building meaningful relationships. Something that money can’t buy.
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I love your post. I think one of the things that has been lost in our tech-overloaded world is self reflection. Self reflection doesn’t happen in a noisy and busy environment. It happens when we stop. When we are quiet and calm, and centered. People are so busy and inundated with information and tasks to prove their worth and their place in life, I often wonder how frequently they stop to think about something as simple as “Am I being the person I aspire to be? And WHO is that?”
And I don’t mean do I have all of the things I want in life. Or anything related to a person’s achievements, accolades, economic status, education, marital status, etc.
It is much more basic…”am I serving the people around me by being a good listener, a loyal friend, a caring and empathetic human being?”
Something to think about for all of us during our windshield time. 🙂
Kelly
Thank you for your thoughtful remarks and insights. And thank you for subscribing to the blog.
Jeff, yesterday I did what you suggested in your blog and “unplugged” for thirty minutes prior to attending a planned evening event with my wife. I found that I have always turned off all the noise sporadically throughout my life, but not always for meaningful thought. The title of your blog though, “Windshield Time,” was very meaningful to me. Most of my working life has involved commutes of twenty to forty minutes each way in my vehicle. During these commutes (usually with music playing) I found going to work became incubators of problem solving and revelation or simply preparation for the day. The ride home often allowed for reflection on the day’s activities and actions, but sometimes, it was time for decompression from the stresses before I got home to the family.
Kelly, as a holder of a B.S. Degree in Recreation and Park Administration, you expressed perfectly the desired outcomes of recreation, as a professional views it. All of the positives expressed above are the highest ideals which can be obtained by spending time in our State and National Parks; some of which have absolutely no cell service.
Bill,
Thank you for your comments and for reading the blog. Thank you, also, for engaging Kelly’s comments. I enjoyed reading both of your insights!
Jeffrey
Jeff, Thanks for your thought inspiring, faith enhancing blog. During my daily walk I often become aware of things beyond the obvious. Often the words of a melodic memory volunteer themselves. Like the nineteenth century hymn: “Take Time to be Holy—the world rushes on”.
Claude,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and for reading the blog. Walks work that way too!!
Thank you.
Jeffrey
As someone who travels frequently for business, including the lovely drive between Chicago and Dubuque on US 20, I rely on “windshield time” to reset and refresh my thinking on a variety of topics. If someone had a hidden camera on me during these drives, they might think I was a little “off” as it would show me singing, role playing interactions and sometimes, with tears in my eyes. As weird as it sounds, I end these drives refreshed. I don’t do this when I am in an airport waiting to board a plane or while I am on a plane because my phone or computer is available. Not sure how my seatmates would react to me singing and crying on an airplane.
Kent,
Thank you for reading the blog but, more importantly, thank you for sharing our thoughts and comment. And…to be honest…the planes that I’ve been on recently would greatly benefit from having another passenger laugh, on occasion!!
Thanks.
Jeffrey
Seventeen hours one way to North Dakota or four hours to Des Moines, either way “windshield” time means I am traveling with UD students to learn something, somewhere about culture…not just from the destination speakers or events, but from each other along the way. Unless I have a fellow faculty friend along, which usually results in non-stop visiting, I am listening and reflecting. I’m listening to different dialects, languages, laughter, teasing, games (which include me and I don’t even know it until my name is mentioned by some strange incorporation into the game to see if I am paying attention!), and stories. As I listen to stories of our students’ lives I reflect on how I feel, differences and similarities among us, how we all open up and get more comfortable in our van’s “forced” closeness, and how we all begin to trust. Trust brings questions, first funny then serious. How old do you think we are? Laughter when I am way off. Why don’t you eat pork? Why do people give their children up for adoption? What is the difference between a Democrat and a Republican? What is your concept of God? When the right opportunity presents itself during “windshield” time, the magic occurs. Picture it: African Americans, Saudi Arabians, White, all different faiths and life experiences sitting in the grass in a circle listening to a Meskwaki elder share his culture, history, and faith. This was a magical moment brought about by “windshield” time! Phones were nowhere to be seen…
Angie,
Absolutely beautiful!
Thank you for sharing with us.
Jeffrey
Your read is interesting. I use to travel the Dubuque-New Jersey run in the early to mid 70s. I had little to no attachments between the two points. No satellite radio so stations didn’t last long at 60-70 mph. It created in me a love to be on the road and have solitude. Coming back from hospital visits over the years. Time could be filled with prayers, debriefing or the need of quiet solitude. To see deer off to the side or in a field or the changing landscape, would remind me of the world I often pass by. I need fresh water to come into my life if my well is to be filled with living water. Thanks for the reminder.
Bruce,
Thank you for taking the time to share you insights with all of us…and for reading the blog!
Jeffrey
Jeff,
I never knew you made your long drives in silence. I do the same thing! I’ve made several cross country trips and not a peep from the radio! In fact, the noise tends to stress me out!
I’ve just been introduced to your blog. As I make my way through, I’m astounded at what a wonderful writer you are. Thanks for sharing your gift and your thoughts…..I look forward to reading more.
Dr. Bullock,
I have received your articles through both my personal email and school email for sometime now and decided to take a look at your website. Out of all of your articles this one caught my eye quickly. I have commuted from Maquoketa, IA to Dubuque, IA for five and half years now, and have grown to love my drive every morning and afternoon. When I tell others that I commute and plan to continue to commute in the future, I can see their confusion as to why I would do this. Your article put it into words better than I ever have, I love my drive to be able to just “…figure things out”. I look forward to reading more!