That got me thinking. I have always loved electronics and computers are a hobby for me. One of my favorite uses these days is the webcam. Well, when I was little, I can remember our first telephone, which allowed us access to the outside world through an operator. "Number, please." "624." (That was my friend Mike's number. Ours was 723.)
My grandparents, who had to communicate with us by mail from 80 miles away, would not have believed our ability to talk on something like a fancy TV screen to our kids and grandkids from all over the country.
Here's Cathy, better known to our favorite little people as "Grammy", sitting at the electronic equipment that brings so much joy into our home. Our children grew up many miles from their grandparents without this convenience so we are particularly aware of what a great blessing it is.
Computers and their ilk can deeply enhance communication. Or they can create a sizable impediment.
How do you use yours?
6 comments:
Your so right! We use it to web cam the daughter in college, and to get e-mails from the daughter in Iraq. When the miles separate, I have a certain comfort in knowing I can jump on my computer and talk with the kids : ) We take for granted things at times....considering how far we have come.
I'm so thankful for the "Molly Cam!" Every day, at some point, Molly looks at the computer and says, "Grammy? Sampa? Grammy? Sampa?" We try to call every time we get a chance. It makes me so happy to know that, when you visit in a couple of weeks, she won't be shy around you -- even though she hasn't seen you since July, when she was 18 months old.
Wow, Sam! Talk about a funny feeling. I just read Cathy's comment on my post a minute ago, and came here to see if I could e-mail her through you (please don't feel "used" :))and there is a picture of her sitting at the computer! I thought, "That must be exactly what it looked like when she typed her comment a minute ago!" You're right. We've come a looooong way from the 3-digit phone numbers and operators who knew everyone by name!
I love the computer's ability to keep me in touch with family and friends--the webcam, e-mail, blogs, message boards, instant messaging.
But sometimes my computer life takes over my real life. It's really hard to keep that in balance and it's something I'm very consciously struggling with as my blogs have become more widely-read.
I don't like it when my computer time makes me feel lonely because I don't take time for the people around me. I have to remind myself that I don't "owe" anything to the people who read my blogs, but I do "owe" something to friends who have given of themselves to me.
I was happy enough with the whole webcam idea when my hubby and I moved across the continent, but now that we have Asher, I am so thankful for it. When my Mom came for her first visit with her first Grandson, he knew her because he talks to her every few days online. I was overjoyed when we met her at the airport and he reached for her as soon as she said hello to him. And now that we're moving to a whole new continent, I'm sure it will be my lifeline.
(We'll leave it at that and not mention the addiction to facebook games :P)
Laurie, I think about how special it must be to you as you keep up with a daughter so far away.
Heather, you're about to go through what Laurie is living, but you will be the one on the other side of the pond.
B & B, it means so much to us to communicate with our grandkids as they grow through so many different stages so quickly. Thank you for being kind and calling!
Sandra, it's amazing isn't it, how much our world has changed since those 3-digit phone numbers? Thanks for your comment.
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