During my lifetime the most extraordinary inventions have come to pass.  Okay, I admit I am 66 years old, so you and I both know that technology has gone far beyond our expectations.  Forget our landing on the moon and going to Mars. We know our feats of exploration are awesome. I’m talking about how technology has made our lives so different than in the past.

Shall we start with mundane things like washing machines that ‘think’ or the portability of our home ‘land lines’? Or should we consider the televisions of today and their color, size, thinness? Even our remote control is new technology AND we can even remotely program our televisions to record whatever show we cannot live without!!! How unbelievable is that? It is way beyond my father’s expectations…he watched tv in color, but had to get up to change the channel!

When I was in college, I remember that every time I went back to my dorm room I checked this ‘thing’ on the wall to see if I got a call! If the ‘thing’ wasn’t out, no call.  If it WAS out, I had to call the front desk to get my message. At home there was no answering machine…not invented yet.  Believe you me, I was always looking for that ‘thing’ to be out and always worried I had missed an important call.  Are you ready for more changes in the short span of my life?

Our technological growth is beyond the younger generation’s grasp.  Today, computers and telephones have given us a new way of life. Let’s face it, we really carry around both in our pockets or purses.  We can take a call or send a message in a nanosecond. We can go online and check our bank balances from our hand held telephone.  Actually, we are a generation of technology.  These little devices can no longer be ‘lived without’!  Most of us have given up our ‘land lines’ as they are only necessary for finding us. (telephone books) Now, you can listen to music, read a book, watch television, play games, etc.  Anything you want you can do on your cell phone…and I grew up with a telephone connected to the wall and it dialed!!!

Today there is email. I haven’t gotten a snail mail letter in over a year. Big change from the days my Mother made me write ‘thank you’ notes for EVERY thing!!!

Okay, I’ve made my point. Life is different than when I was a child. I know life will be different when my grandchildren grow up, too.  Who can imagine exactly what they will see and do?  I know it will be an even greater technological world beyond my imagination.