The Opposite of Doomscrolling?
Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.
The Holy Labor is my weekly newsletter: original essays one week, and a collection of
Hope-dwelling? Light-savoring? Peace-pausing?
Whatever words we want to spin, the longing to seek another way to spend time online presses with ever greater urgency.
Having Zoomed & Netflixed & doom-scrolled through the pandemic like nearly everyone I know, I now find myself hungry for better practices in how I create and consume online.
If doomscrolling is defined as a “roll toward annihilation,” what could be the antidote?
For those of us trying to follow the footsteps of Jesus, how can we proceed prayerfully in virtual spaces?
Here are 5 places I’m finding peace, joy, and hope online:
PsalmPrayers from Kreg Yingst leads me to pause and pray whenever I scroll, especially this series of 30 artworks created for Christine Valters Paintner's forthcoming book on Mary's names and titles.
A peaceful Instagram feed: K.J. Ramsey offers a daily blend of prophetic words, beautiful photos, and engaging questions. I can’t wait for her new book.
The Virtual Abbey prays from the Daily Office on Twitter, and it’s the best interruption to the flow of doom & gloom on my feed.
As a parent and lover of language, I’m intrigued by Curious Parenting and how their prompts help me talk with my kids in new ways.
This NYTimes essay on collective effervescence explains why everyone at our church is singing so loudly now—and why I can’t stop grinning when I hear it.
Finally, here are 3 questions I ask myself now before opening up social media:
Why am I here? What do I need? Where else might I find it?
I’d love to hear where you’re hope-dwelling online, too.
Peace,
Laura
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