So Lucky

How lucky am I? I still remember when TVs became available with color, and now we have huge, high-definition sets that can hang on the wall. (Or, my friends do, as I don’t actually own a flat screen yet . . .) At my first job out of college I used a word processor that was shared by the department, and it was a big deal to be awarded your own voicemail box. A few years later everyone had a computer on their desk and we were able to, gasp, send typed messages to co-workers within the building. Now the only limit is the world!

Happy Buddha can't get over the wonders
of his smart phone either!

I remember buying my first personal computer. I didn’t really need it and we couldn’t really afford it, but I couldn’t keep my hands off it. Even the constant rebooting didn’t scare me away. Then came the internet and I haven’t stopped since. You might not know it to look at me, but I love computers and smart phones and Kindles and iPads, and I happen to own and use one of each. Sure I love the feel and smell of a “real” book, but a book is the sum of its words, and touch isn’t as necessary as imagination when it comes to enjoying a good novel. Yes it was fun getting a letter in the mail, but being able to instantly communicate with friends far and wide is a treasure as well. I know some folks are bemoaning the loss of handwriting skills, but I rejoice, as that was a skill I never mastered anyway. Through the magic of technology, people can now actually read and understand what I write!

And don’t get me started on smart phones. It’s true, they really are smart! They track my calendar, my phone numbers, and my email addresses. They help me get where I’m going without getting lost (and with my sense of direction I’ve spent a lot of time lost!). They keep me in touch with my kids as they grow up and start to move away: I can SnapChat a photo of my sad, sad face when one of them tells me they’ve chosen time with a friend over time with their mother. Much more effective than a snippy text!

It’s very exciting, all this techno stuff. And although I have no clue how it all works, and I’m not half as adept at using it as my kids are, I love it all the same, and I can’t wait to see what’s next. How lucky am I?