I went to see Billy Dean in concert tonight and it was so fun! I love his music and his voice. I love the way he tells stories to music and you can see his heart in what he has written and sings.
I love thinking that you can really see into someone's soul by what they do and do not write. It doesn't mean that everything a person writes is taken or understood the way it is intended. I have, unfortunately several times, written to people in an effort to be encouraging or explain something only to get blasted by misunderstanding.
Yet, I still write. Because I just have to. I can't explain it, and lots of people don't understand, but things just swell up in my heart and I have to get them out. Not everyone works this way, I know. Some people bang on a piano, or sing, or make an amazing cake, or paint a picture, or kick a ball.
We all see the world around us in different ways. It would be so awesome if we could all make our hearts heard. I think if we could, we would see the world so differently and so much better.
I met someone a while back that just comes across as very unfriendly and cold, and yet when we finally spoke for a few minutes, I realized that it was just shyness coming out, but a kinder heart underneath.
How do you express yourself?
Is it your famous cake that everyone hopes you will make? Is it the way you keep your house clean? Maybe the piles of laundry nicely folded that tell your family how much you love them. Is it the pictures you hang on your wall, or perhaps the way you dress?
How do your kids express themselves? Is it that playdough sculpture they took such pride in? Or the birthday card they made themselves with a really amazing drawing of a superhero? Or how they always tell jokes and try to make others happy?
I think the way we express ourselves may be one of our talents. Now, that is also not always the case. I personally, can't sing. My kids will tell you it is pretty much torture to be in the car with me when I am singing along to a song that really speaks to my heart.
I can't sing. But I sure can appreciate the words. And the talent of someone who can sing. And the person who wrote or performs the music.
Your family may not appreciate your clean bathroom fetish until they are sick with the flu and spending a lot of time near that toilet, and suddenly you are a hero.
So what is my point? Find out how you express yourself. It may be the most important thing you do for yourself or your family. Then tell them. Point it out if you need to.
Because our hearts all need to be heard.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
The Rollercoaster Ride of Parenting
I had to get my necklace fixed, so I was at the mall today and the repair place was right across from the kids play area (yay). So I wound up in conversation with a mom whose little girl was playing with my boys. We were talking about some of the differences of raising boys and girls and the changes she is experiencing in her little girl as she reaches the age of 3. My experience with raising my kids has been that the 2's are terrific and the 3's are troublesome. But then by the time they are 4, things level out and it seems to get easier for a while.
Parenting seems to be like riding a rollercoaster. You know as you get buckled in two things. First, you can't get off the rollercoaster and second, you are in for an amazing ride. You get in, get buckled, your heart rate elevates anticipating the fun and excitement ahead. It's exhilarating! Then the coaster starts to move and often, very quickly, you start to wonder if you knew what you were in for, after all IT'S SCARY! Sometimes you can see what is coming and it is intimidating and daunting and may even make you want to throw up. Other moments it is exciting and fun and you are laughing your head off, not wanting the ride to end. There are the times you are headed up a steep slope and you hear the slow click, click, click sound that lets you know you are moving forward, but it is slow and tedious and can be frustrating and nerve wracking. You may even be saying, this isn't what I thought, let me off, let me off. But you are buckled in tight. Then you race down a huge hill scared to death, screaming your head off, holding on for dear life bracing for the loops ahead.
Sometimes people lose things on a rollercoaster: their keys, glasses, teeth, etc. And we lose things in parenthood: our minds, our haircolor (or hair in general) our body shape. But the ride, as crazy and scary as it is, is so worth it! Like a rollercoaster, hopefully we are strapped in next to a great spouse. There are also a bunch of other people on the ride. Each experiencing their own reality, but still on the same ride. We go through the ups and downs, screaming and laughing together. Our ride gives us a chance to talk and laugh and cry together, if we will reach out to each other. And hopefully we will encourage each other on the long clicks of the uphills that we will survive it and everything will be okay and tell the others lining up, looking at the ride ahead, "Don't be afraid, it is AWESOME. Just get buckled in with someone you love, hang on tight, and enjoy the ride!"
Parenting seems to be like riding a rollercoaster. You know as you get buckled in two things. First, you can't get off the rollercoaster and second, you are in for an amazing ride. You get in, get buckled, your heart rate elevates anticipating the fun and excitement ahead. It's exhilarating! Then the coaster starts to move and often, very quickly, you start to wonder if you knew what you were in for, after all IT'S SCARY! Sometimes you can see what is coming and it is intimidating and daunting and may even make you want to throw up. Other moments it is exciting and fun and you are laughing your head off, not wanting the ride to end. There are the times you are headed up a steep slope and you hear the slow click, click, click sound that lets you know you are moving forward, but it is slow and tedious and can be frustrating and nerve wracking. You may even be saying, this isn't what I thought, let me off, let me off. But you are buckled in tight. Then you race down a huge hill scared to death, screaming your head off, holding on for dear life bracing for the loops ahead.
Sometimes people lose things on a rollercoaster: their keys, glasses, teeth, etc. And we lose things in parenthood: our minds, our haircolor (or hair in general) our body shape. But the ride, as crazy and scary as it is, is so worth it! Like a rollercoaster, hopefully we are strapped in next to a great spouse. There are also a bunch of other people on the ride. Each experiencing their own reality, but still on the same ride. We go through the ups and downs, screaming and laughing together. Our ride gives us a chance to talk and laugh and cry together, if we will reach out to each other. And hopefully we will encourage each other on the long clicks of the uphills that we will survive it and everything will be okay and tell the others lining up, looking at the ride ahead, "Don't be afraid, it is AWESOME. Just get buckled in with someone you love, hang on tight, and enjoy the ride!"
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
My Olympic Gold
I've decided that it's not that I'm not an Olympian, it's that the Olympics don't currently have my event. But after this post and the numerous (all 50 of you who read this) calls from others who see the Olympic merit of this event, I'm sure I will be getting a gold in the near future.
What event is it, you ask (dying of curiosity)?
It is called getting 4 children to church every Sunday fed, mostly dressed and with scriptures in hand by myself.
Now you may be thinking, what???!! But hear me out, I think I'm on to something.
First of all, this takes a tremendous amount of Cardio training. Yep, in my heart, I know that my children learning about Our Father in Heaven and His incredible love for us, proven by His sending His Son to die for us is of the utmost importance.
Now my kids get a lot of that cardio training here at home, but I also know that to hear the experiences and faith and testimony of others is super important and I pray that they will get what they need from those experiences as much as they get from home. I also know they will get the chance to teach, share and bear testimony themselves in church. Which is good for their hearts.
All this does not diminish from the actual physical cardio that I truly get every Sunday in wrestling with 2 little ones, who despise shoes, and 2 big ones who have misplaced the carefully laid out ties, because they were using them to tie pillows on the front of themselves to belly fight each other.
Next of course is the mental preparation, which begins each Sunday as I fight the "natural man" and actually decide to get out of bed knowing what lies ahead.
This alone should earn me the Gold.
The mental preparation actually starts on Monday morning as I find white shirts and church pants hidden in various locations throughout the house from the day before. Which I gather and make sure wind up in the laundry on Tuesday and get washed and hung up that night. Then by Saturday I make sure shoes, ties, shirts, underwear, suits, brushes, and scriptures are at the ready. I have discovered that Sunday goes a whole lot easier if I have everything prepared. I expect my kids to do all that themselves the other days, but I simply don't want that fight on the Sabbath, and I'm ok with that.
There is always the wrestling that takes place as I wrestle the 2 youngest into their clothes. That alone has required more than one shower from me in the summer. I think I could also win at hog tying, if I knew how to get into the rodeo. There is also the running of stairs, multiple times as I answer questions, find items, and stop the nerf battles taking place between floors. Yes, the Sabbath is a day of rest. Which I look forward to for the few minutes when it happens.
Then there is the endurance part of Sunday. It starts off early as my husband leaves for meetings. Then I get going to have everything ready for the events of the day and then we come home from church. That is when the endurance part begins. In trying to make the Sabbath be different from the rest of the week, that generally means my kids don't play with their friends, we don't do our usual jobs and chores and we don't go out doing the things we do all the rest of the week. So it does mean my house gets trashed as they pull off the couch cushions and make forts, become scripture heroes, or make amazing lego creations. I endure this as patiently as possible, because I want my boys to be the best of friends. I know they will have so many amazing memories when they grow older and tell their future wives and children about the crazy things they built, created and acted out on Sundays. Which means we get to endure all this until they are grown and provide me with amazing daughter-in-laws (yes I pray regularly for them).
Then my hubby comes home and endures all this with me and we often wonder how long till we have to invest in hearing aides and pacemakers.
But really, taking our kids to church does feel like an Olympic event, or that it takes the effort of one. I realize that getting to church is not a competition and it shouldn't be. But sometimes when I look around at church, I wish I could hand out gold medals.
One would go to the mom who works nights and still faithfully brings her 2 kids every Sunday by herself.
Another would go to the elderly couple who are always there in spite of the fact that getting there probably takes as much effort as getting my kids there, and I sometimes wonder if they can even hear the teachings and music.
One would go to the couple that just got married and each has kids from prior marriages, so they suddenly have a really big family-bless their hearts.
Another to the grandparents raising their grandchildren who keep them running.
And one to the single lady who comes and serves in big ways and would love to have someone sitting next to her, yet comes every Sunday alone.
I could go on and on. Because I would give a gold to anyone who is trying to get closer to Christ and be more like Him.
But I don't have to give a gold medal. And I don't have to get one.
The blessings of trying to teach and learn and become a follower of Christ, when there is a myriad of things that try to stop us, are nuggets of gold. The kind of gold we get as peace, comfort, grace, and countless blessings.
It is way better than an Olympic gold, which if I got one, I'm sure my kids would use for an experiment, or bury in the backyard anyway.
What event is it, you ask (dying of curiosity)?
It is called getting 4 children to church every Sunday fed, mostly dressed and with scriptures in hand by myself.
Now you may be thinking, what???!! But hear me out, I think I'm on to something.
First of all, this takes a tremendous amount of Cardio training. Yep, in my heart, I know that my children learning about Our Father in Heaven and His incredible love for us, proven by His sending His Son to die for us is of the utmost importance.
Now my kids get a lot of that cardio training here at home, but I also know that to hear the experiences and faith and testimony of others is super important and I pray that they will get what they need from those experiences as much as they get from home. I also know they will get the chance to teach, share and bear testimony themselves in church. Which is good for their hearts.
All this does not diminish from the actual physical cardio that I truly get every Sunday in wrestling with 2 little ones, who despise shoes, and 2 big ones who have misplaced the carefully laid out ties, because they were using them to tie pillows on the front of themselves to belly fight each other.
Next of course is the mental preparation, which begins each Sunday as I fight the "natural man" and actually decide to get out of bed knowing what lies ahead.
This alone should earn me the Gold.
The mental preparation actually starts on Monday morning as I find white shirts and church pants hidden in various locations throughout the house from the day before. Which I gather and make sure wind up in the laundry on Tuesday and get washed and hung up that night. Then by Saturday I make sure shoes, ties, shirts, underwear, suits, brushes, and scriptures are at the ready. I have discovered that Sunday goes a whole lot easier if I have everything prepared. I expect my kids to do all that themselves the other days, but I simply don't want that fight on the Sabbath, and I'm ok with that.
There is always the wrestling that takes place as I wrestle the 2 youngest into their clothes. That alone has required more than one shower from me in the summer. I think I could also win at hog tying, if I knew how to get into the rodeo. There is also the running of stairs, multiple times as I answer questions, find items, and stop the nerf battles taking place between floors. Yes, the Sabbath is a day of rest. Which I look forward to for the few minutes when it happens.
Then there is the endurance part of Sunday. It starts off early as my husband leaves for meetings. Then I get going to have everything ready for the events of the day and then we come home from church. That is when the endurance part begins. In trying to make the Sabbath be different from the rest of the week, that generally means my kids don't play with their friends, we don't do our usual jobs and chores and we don't go out doing the things we do all the rest of the week. So it does mean my house gets trashed as they pull off the couch cushions and make forts, become scripture heroes, or make amazing lego creations. I endure this as patiently as possible, because I want my boys to be the best of friends. I know they will have so many amazing memories when they grow older and tell their future wives and children about the crazy things they built, created and acted out on Sundays. Which means we get to endure all this until they are grown and provide me with amazing daughter-in-laws (yes I pray regularly for them).
Then my hubby comes home and endures all this with me and we often wonder how long till we have to invest in hearing aides and pacemakers.
But really, taking our kids to church does feel like an Olympic event, or that it takes the effort of one. I realize that getting to church is not a competition and it shouldn't be. But sometimes when I look around at church, I wish I could hand out gold medals.
One would go to the mom who works nights and still faithfully brings her 2 kids every Sunday by herself.
Another would go to the elderly couple who are always there in spite of the fact that getting there probably takes as much effort as getting my kids there, and I sometimes wonder if they can even hear the teachings and music.
One would go to the couple that just got married and each has kids from prior marriages, so they suddenly have a really big family-bless their hearts.
Another to the grandparents raising their grandchildren who keep them running.
And one to the single lady who comes and serves in big ways and would love to have someone sitting next to her, yet comes every Sunday alone.
I could go on and on. Because I would give a gold to anyone who is trying to get closer to Christ and be more like Him.
But I don't have to give a gold medal. And I don't have to get one.
The blessings of trying to teach and learn and become a follower of Christ, when there is a myriad of things that try to stop us, are nuggets of gold. The kind of gold we get as peace, comfort, grace, and countless blessings.
It is way better than an Olympic gold, which if I got one, I'm sure my kids would use for an experiment, or bury in the backyard anyway.
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Bake it a Great New Year!
Again this morning, as I have many times during the holidays, I am going through my recipes. And as I have, it has brought back so many wonderful and yummy memories.
First of all, great food. Who doesn't love that? Some amazing recipes that I treasure and do make yearly. Some from my mom, her banana bread. My grandpa, his Mexican food. My friends, cookies, holiday mix, pies, cheesecakes, breads, chicken dishes, etc.
But even more than the recipes, I remember the learning of those recipes. When Liz taught me to make her grandma's rolls. When Beth taught me how to make and can strawberry jam. When Phyllis taught me how to make awesome pie crusts. Some of these were in warm kitchens full of love and laughter at the holidays. Others in warm kitchens after hours of picking strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, or cleaning apples and trying to get it all canned.
This is one of the things that makes the holidays special for me.
I love celebrating the birth of the Savior. I wouldn't want to imagine my life without knowledge of Him. I love the giving, and seeing the joy on my kids and others faces when they get something they really like. I love hearing my kids as they thank each other and exult over something thoughtfully and perfectly chosen for them. I love hearing them talk about the birth of the Savior and being tender with the baby Jesus from the manger. I love sitting down to a good meal and thinking of the time that went into preparing something that I know my family will love.
As we close out yet another year and prepare to dive head on into a new one, I just want to say thanks. Thanks to all of you who have meant so much to me over the years. I know that the Lord has blessed me abundantly with amazing friends and family, no matter where I have been. Thanks for those who have taught me how to make, and bake, and can. And thanks for giving me warm memories to dig through and hold on to and remake year after year.
First of all, great food. Who doesn't love that? Some amazing recipes that I treasure and do make yearly. Some from my mom, her banana bread. My grandpa, his Mexican food. My friends, cookies, holiday mix, pies, cheesecakes, breads, chicken dishes, etc.
But even more than the recipes, I remember the learning of those recipes. When Liz taught me to make her grandma's rolls. When Beth taught me how to make and can strawberry jam. When Phyllis taught me how to make awesome pie crusts. Some of these were in warm kitchens full of love and laughter at the holidays. Others in warm kitchens after hours of picking strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, or cleaning apples and trying to get it all canned.
This is one of the things that makes the holidays special for me.
I love celebrating the birth of the Savior. I wouldn't want to imagine my life without knowledge of Him. I love the giving, and seeing the joy on my kids and others faces when they get something they really like. I love hearing my kids as they thank each other and exult over something thoughtfully and perfectly chosen for them. I love hearing them talk about the birth of the Savior and being tender with the baby Jesus from the manger. I love sitting down to a good meal and thinking of the time that went into preparing something that I know my family will love.
As we close out yet another year and prepare to dive head on into a new one, I just want to say thanks. Thanks to all of you who have meant so much to me over the years. I know that the Lord has blessed me abundantly with amazing friends and family, no matter where I have been. Thanks for those who have taught me how to make, and bake, and can. And thanks for giving me warm memories to dig through and hold on to and remake year after year.
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Scars and Vistas
Recently, several friends have gone through some really tough things. The death of loved ones, marriage issues, hard diagnoses, etc. It has sent me to my knees many times in their behalf as I ache for them.
I was thinking about this a lot as I was driving home from a funeral and had some time to myself.
I was driving across northeastern Arizona, which in the past 20 years or so has had its share of wildfires. Fires that have burned thousands of acres of land and forever changed the landscape. As I looked at these areas which had burned more than 10 years ago, I noticed small pine trees dotting the space as well as grasses and fallen logs. I also noticed hundreds of aspens. I thought of something I recently learned. While in Colorado, we had marveled at these beautiful areas where the aspens leaves' had changed to yellow and it looked like rivers of gold were running down the mountainsides.
A forest service worker then told us that when we saw large areas with the aspens it was generally due to a forest fire. After fires swept through, the aspens would quickly grow and spread (they spread from massive root systems). Then, in time, the pine trees would get large enough to squeeze out the aspens and it would eventually get back to normal. I remember when these fires burned causing intense change to the Arizona landscape and thinking "those areas will never be the same". They aren't. But, the growth of the aspens and the beauty they provide is inspiring and encouraging. The forest has been changed significantly and it is becoming new in a beautiful way. As the sun set, the view was incredible, scars and all.
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Sound Effects
Wanna have some fun with your kids and maybe even make your day a little nuttier? Try sound effects!
This all started because my boys happen to all be sound effect masters. I think it is either inherited from their dad or it might be that whole Y chromosome thing, whatever it is they make sound effects for nearly everything. Sometimes it drives me crazy, like when they ask me to play with them and then they tell me to make the car sound a certain way. Well I try and I think it sounds the same, but clearly to them, it does not and after many tries I give up. It's kind of like me trying to speak another language. I am sure it sounds the same as the person I am repeating, but I have learned to recognize the look of utter confusion.
The other day I was listening to my 2 year old as he "flew" in and out of the room several times with an enormous number of explosion type sounds occurring in just minutes and thought, "How different would my day (and theirs) be if I applied sound effects to the regular mundane things I do, such as driving to school, doing dishes and laundry and such.
So I tried it out. On the way to school it sounded like we were in a race car, with several pretty good crashes. The dishes sounded quite disgusting in very non-typeable (have fun with that spell check) ways. And laundry was louder than usual; as were doors, books and other things. I found myself having more fun driving and it was really fun to look at the expressions on my boys' faces as they experienced Mom's version of their day.
Then today as we were driving to school, Derek asked me to "make the sounds" as I drove and that was pretty much priceless!
This all started because my boys happen to all be sound effect masters. I think it is either inherited from their dad or it might be that whole Y chromosome thing, whatever it is they make sound effects for nearly everything. Sometimes it drives me crazy, like when they ask me to play with them and then they tell me to make the car sound a certain way. Well I try and I think it sounds the same, but clearly to them, it does not and after many tries I give up. It's kind of like me trying to speak another language. I am sure it sounds the same as the person I am repeating, but I have learned to recognize the look of utter confusion.
The other day I was listening to my 2 year old as he "flew" in and out of the room several times with an enormous number of explosion type sounds occurring in just minutes and thought, "How different would my day (and theirs) be if I applied sound effects to the regular mundane things I do, such as driving to school, doing dishes and laundry and such.
So I tried it out. On the way to school it sounded like we were in a race car, with several pretty good crashes. The dishes sounded quite disgusting in very non-typeable (have fun with that spell check) ways. And laundry was louder than usual; as were doors, books and other things. I found myself having more fun driving and it was really fun to look at the expressions on my boys' faces as they experienced Mom's version of their day.
Then today as we were driving to school, Derek asked me to "make the sounds" as I drove and that was pretty much priceless!
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
The IT in Me
I happen to be an IT person. Which stands for "impaired technologically". I use a computer- while contemplating different endings to its already outdated life. Depending on the day and on what it won't do, I have daydreamed some pretty wild endings for the life of my computer. It may make me sound violent or perhaps crazy, but it is just a thing, so I'm okay with that.
It used to be that as soon as you drove a new car off the lot it was already outdated, but technology is upping the ante, it is already outdated when the "i" is dotted.
I also think there is something to be said for watches. You remember those don't you? Those single function (ok, until they made them look dumb by putting the calculator on them) gadgets that make your wrist look trendy. I personally prefer the look of a watch on my wrist to the bump of a phone on my rear.
But really, that is not the worst of it. Here's my dirty little secret---I don't have an iPhone, or a droid. My sweet hubby does, only because he has to for work. Not me. Nope. I have-- wait for it--- a slider phone. Yep, you might remember those bad boys of yesteryear. I even somewhat know how to work the thing.
The problem with technology, at least for me is multifaceted. First of all, I don't understand it! Just tonight I was trying to access my blog, only to learn that my 'cache is full of cookies' that need to be removed. Believe me, there are no cookies here!! If there were, my kids would know.
Technology drives me crazy. I don't like it when something inanimate doesn't do what I want it to, I cannot even try reasoning with it. Which makes it way worse than a stubborn two year old who can be bought off with a sucker.
I cannot keep up with all the changes mostly because I don't have access to Fort Knox, but also because I don't have the patience. I don't have the time or energy to find a faster browser, or try to understand why it didn't load when I followed all the steps. And frankly, it makes me nuts that computers can get viruses! Seriously?! Every time I download something new I cringe as I wait to find out if it was full of junk and messes up things even worse.
Plus, they are always coming up with new smaller gadgets that just seem like an easy way to throw another $100+ in the washing machine by accident.
My kids also seem to think technology is just another way to prove how much more they know than me. Who needs that pressure?
Just last week, I got a little lost and called my sister for directions. Yep, I actually talked to a human being and laughed a little about where I was. That quick convo would not have happened if I had an iPhone.
I don't like how the human factor of needing each other is being relegated to a device that is worn in the back pocket of my jeans. I was reading last week how the millennial generation is having trouble dating and getting married because all they do is text and hang out. I'm not surprised. When we never have to ask another person for the time, or for directions we lose out on a little something. When we don't have to have conversations that we actually think about because we can simply pull up a photo or a video clip and then show it to the person we are sitting next to, we miss out on something vital. The human connection is important. Telling stories, relating experiences, sharing laughter not contrived by a device is what makes and keeps us human. I am not good at telling stories or jokes, my hubby is, and I have learned a lot by watching and listening to those who are masters at it. I am good with a quick quip and usually think somewhat fast on my feet and I love the immediate reaction of making a friend laugh or my kids roll their eyes.
So for now, you may get a call from me when I am lost. You may have to listen to my real life stories of life. And I may be your only friend who still rocks a slider phone. But when the power goes out, come on over and we will have real cookies, tell real stories, talk, laugh, and play a board game or two.
Personally, I hope the power goes out soon!
It used to be that as soon as you drove a new car off the lot it was already outdated, but technology is upping the ante, it is already outdated when the "i" is dotted.
I also think there is something to be said for watches. You remember those don't you? Those single function (ok, until they made them look dumb by putting the calculator on them) gadgets that make your wrist look trendy. I personally prefer the look of a watch on my wrist to the bump of a phone on my rear.
But really, that is not the worst of it. Here's my dirty little secret---I don't have an iPhone, or a droid. My sweet hubby does, only because he has to for work. Not me. Nope. I have-- wait for it--- a slider phone. Yep, you might remember those bad boys of yesteryear. I even somewhat know how to work the thing.
The problem with technology, at least for me is multifaceted. First of all, I don't understand it! Just tonight I was trying to access my blog, only to learn that my 'cache is full of cookies' that need to be removed. Believe me, there are no cookies here!! If there were, my kids would know.
Technology drives me crazy. I don't like it when something inanimate doesn't do what I want it to, I cannot even try reasoning with it. Which makes it way worse than a stubborn two year old who can be bought off with a sucker.
I cannot keep up with all the changes mostly because I don't have access to Fort Knox, but also because I don't have the patience. I don't have the time or energy to find a faster browser, or try to understand why it didn't load when I followed all the steps. And frankly, it makes me nuts that computers can get viruses! Seriously?! Every time I download something new I cringe as I wait to find out if it was full of junk and messes up things even worse.
Plus, they are always coming up with new smaller gadgets that just seem like an easy way to throw another $100+ in the washing machine by accident.
My kids also seem to think technology is just another way to prove how much more they know than me. Who needs that pressure?
Just last week, I got a little lost and called my sister for directions. Yep, I actually talked to a human being and laughed a little about where I was. That quick convo would not have happened if I had an iPhone.
I don't like how the human factor of needing each other is being relegated to a device that is worn in the back pocket of my jeans. I was reading last week how the millennial generation is having trouble dating and getting married because all they do is text and hang out. I'm not surprised. When we never have to ask another person for the time, or for directions we lose out on a little something. When we don't have to have conversations that we actually think about because we can simply pull up a photo or a video clip and then show it to the person we are sitting next to, we miss out on something vital. The human connection is important. Telling stories, relating experiences, sharing laughter not contrived by a device is what makes and keeps us human. I am not good at telling stories or jokes, my hubby is, and I have learned a lot by watching and listening to those who are masters at it. I am good with a quick quip and usually think somewhat fast on my feet and I love the immediate reaction of making a friend laugh or my kids roll their eyes.
So for now, you may get a call from me when I am lost. You may have to listen to my real life stories of life. And I may be your only friend who still rocks a slider phone. But when the power goes out, come on over and we will have real cookies, tell real stories, talk, laugh, and play a board game or two.
Personally, I hope the power goes out soon!
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