Maybe We Weren’t That Far Off…
I am 42 years old.
When I was a teenager, cell phones were not a thing. Nextel (cue the tone) was used, but the iPhone didn’t really hit the market until 2007, 1 year into our marriage.
I grew up in the day and age when…
- The whole family shared one computer and you had to wait until after 9:00pm to “dial” via Instant Messenger, in case someone called on the landline. Because “dial up” used the landline phone. But let’s be honest, no one would call past that time anyways, so it was a safe bet.
- You printed directions to get somewhere, instead of relying on GPS to get you somewhere. I had printed maps to the Big House for YEARS, because nothing beat them.
- You used the TV Guide insert from the newspaper, to find your favorite shows to watch, instead of mindlessly surfing the streaming network. In fact, you spent DAYS, looking forward to the “Big Game” or favorite show on TV, like ER, on Thursday nights.
- You used your house phone to call your friend, and believe it or not, you’d actually have to talk to your friend’s parents first, because that’s who answered the phone…
- You looked in a book for an answer, not Google or AI…
- You waited by your large radio/CD/cassette player, that took up your entire dresser, at 9:00pm, when they did the top 5 songs, to record your favorite song on a cassette tape…
- You made plans at school, hoping everyone came at the decided time, instead of watching everyone’s snapchat location…
- You took pictures, not knowing how they turned out…not really caring for that matter, but PAYING over $.20 cents to see how it turned out. But if you had a whole roll of film, it’d cost you over $5.00, but even that was a steal.
Oh to go back to those days…
I’m curious, how would our lives look different if everything wasn’t at our fingertips? If some things actually took longer and we weren’t always try to find quicker ways to do certain things? Would our lives be as full as they are? Would they be as busy as they are? Would they be as isolating as they are? I’m not sure God always desires for our lives to be quicker, easier, fuller, and more isolating. God desires for us to have communion, and to appreciate togetherness.
What do you wish we could “go back to” or what do you miss when it comes to the simplicity of life? Or maybe even chuckle about, when you think about how we used to live our lives? But I have to wonder, were we that far off in life? That all of these NEW changes and technologies were THAT necessary? Were we really missing out?
What are some things you miss about how life used to be?
