The Pace of our World

Recently, we changed cell phone companies and for the last couple of days I have been on the phone with customer service people to resolve cell phone problems and cancel other phone service that we had.  Of course, hardly anyone can believe that we don't want smart phones and don't text message  . . . ever.  It's not that I'm against technology; in fact, I'm make use of it right now by blogging.  I engage in my share of surfing the Web, e-mailing, talking on the phone, and doing internet transactions and I appreciate the convenience that this affords me from my job of stay-at-home-Mommy.  But, as I was reminded in a discussion at Bible study a couple of weeks ago, there can be a real sense of disconnect for many of us due to the use of technology.  Where we might have stopped by the neighbor's house with a baked good or made a hospital visit in the past, now we wonder if this is still relevant.  It is easy to get caught up in the use of technology and make it a replacement for actual human contact.  It also easy to make excuses and think that everyone will feel inconvenienced by a visit, a phone call (instead of a text), or by the offer of a helping hand . . . and in some cases that may be true.  But, my challenge to myself and to others as well is to take the risk of being old-fashioned.  Try doing something meaningful that may be outside your comfort zone and see what the result is; the worst is that you may have an awkward moment or experience the lack of appreciation, but the opposite may also come true.  Several friends of mine (as well as myself) are taking up the challenge to make handmade gifts this year.  I have been baking and trying to spread the wealth a bit to family and neighbors.  And this week, I am challenging myself to write several handwritten notes and send them in the mail.  In this electronic age, I think it is even more fun to receive a piece of snail-mail because it comes so rarely.  There is just something (at least for me) about seeing a note in someone else's own handwriting and knowing that it took a bit of time and thought to put that specific note in the mail for me.  I will do the best to meet my goal in the next few days and take the risk of being old-fashioned once in a while (or maybe more than once in a while).