Insight - A nod to technology - By Michelle Libby

Never before have we been so connected to our families, friends and community members. Of course, they may be superficial connections, we still know what is happening in their lives and can reach out to them at a moment’s notice. 

A fire truck rushes by and people are online to find out what’s happening. 

Back in the old days I used to go to parties and have to make small talk with people I saw once a year. Now, thanks to Facebook, I know what’s happening in their lives and can ask questions about their children’s dance classes or the college their son attends. It makes the world smaller. 

In the old days, when our parents dropped us off for summer camp, they left and the only time they heard from us was when we wrote them letters (hehe, right mom). They wrote letters to me at camp and I’ve wrote letters to my kids at camp, but now when we drop them off, they take out their phones to say, “hey, forgot my allergy medication and a broom to kill the spiders in my bunk.” Before, I would have gotten that letter in three or four days and then had to wrap up the items and ship them. Now I ran up to camp and dropped off the things that were forgotten and he knew when we arrived because we texted him and he was able to call us to pin point our location. 

Technology is also great when it comes to letting us know what’s happening in the world and to connect with people all over the country and all over the world. Hosting an event? Put out an email or post it to social media and they will come. No longer are we at the whim of the postal service or the corded phone.

I am not for all technology. There is a time and a place. I like to get handwritten letters and mail, especially when it’s not Christmas. I like to keep notes with pen and paper. I love to read paperback books. However, I also love that my son, while away at camp can text me to say “Good night, Mom.”