The modern world

Facebook, Twitter, E-mail's, Instant Messaging, Texting, Skyping, Cell-phones. Am I leaving anything out? Does this make your life easier or is it one big pain in the you know what? How does it change your life? The lives of those around you? For starters everyone and everyone is reachable. No longer the days of sitting around waiting for a return phone call. Ever watch an old movie and it seems so weird to watch one of the characters waiting at home by the phone so she doesn't miss that "special call". Weirder yet, is watching people use pay phones or old fashioned answering machines. I wonder are those machines considered antiques yet and what has happened to all of the phone booths? You ask a kid today what his address is and he will give you his e-mail address. I still think of an address as a physical place. Am I a dinosaur?

I recently went away to New York and I did not check my e-mail for five days. That was my all time "personal best". I told this to a few people and in their eyes I could see that crazed look "Are you nuts?", "How did you do that?", "Why did you do that?". I rationalized that if people really needed to get in touch with me they could find me via my cell-phone. I didn't go completely a-wall. It felt liberating and I realized that I spend a lot of time on the computer and maybe, just maybe, I spend way too much time tweeting, facebooking and e-mailing. Being away for five days I realized I am not an addict. I can walk away. Can you walk away for five days? Can you go out to dinner and leave your cell-phone in the car? Can you not tweet or peruse your friends latest photo posting on facebook and still get through the day? Try it and see what happens. Maybe use that time for a little old fashioned quality family time. Reach out to a friend you haven't spoken to and write them a letter. WRITE A LETTER? Who does that? Not many, but you for my money there still isn't anything more lovely than going to your mailbox and opening it to find a nice letter waiting for you. Usually, all you have waiting is a stack of bills, junk mail, and on a good day maybe a netflix movie.

Thought for the day that I just read posted on my facebook from a very wise and special facebook friend: If you find it difficult to tolerate someone, think of three things that you love about them and ask yourself is this behavior worth destroying a relationship over.

Happy Trails!