“Modern life is
remarkable, but we’re still human beings with
basic human needs. We
need real
community. We need
satisfying and
compelling work. We
need health, play,
love, and companionship. A
century of
remarkable technological advances can’t undo the millions of years of
evolution
that have made us who we are.” ~
Moby
(from my Starbucks cup…”The Way I See It #56”)
Good
Morning!
First off today,
I have to share with you the adventure of
today’s quote.
When I landed at
the Milwaukee airport, my first stop before
baggage claim (as always) was the coffee stand.
Because it was a Starbucks, I did as I always do, and read the “As I
see
it…” quote they have branded on the cup.
Later, on the drive back from the airport, my colleague and I stopped
to
grab some bottled water. She tried to
throw away our two coffee cups to make room for the water in our drink
holders.
She looked a bit
confused when I grabbed my cup and yelled, “No,
I need that!” She
has learned not to question
some of my silly behaviors – I think she just chalks them up to my
creativity.
Then I got home
and set my empty cup on the kitchen
island. An hour or
two later, I went to
retrieve it to write today’s message – but it was nowhere to be found.
I cornered my
husband, “Where is the cup?” He also looked at me a bit
strangely and then
told me it was in the garbage. I rolled
my eyes as if that was a crazy place to put an empty, coffee-stained,
disposable
cup. Fortunately, I was able to retrieve
it.
As you can tell,
I was rather attached to this quote. I love how it speaks so
clearly to who we are
when we strip away all the technology of daily life. Many of
our technological advances, designed
to make life easier, also take away from the core of the life we have
known.
Video games remove our children from nature; cell phones isolate us
from those around
us when a call comes in; email can be a great communication tool – but
it can
also become a way to avoid the phone.
While the gifts of technology are great, we have to make sure they do
not take away from our core needs and the core of who we are.
Your Turn:
Today, I
challenge you to evaluate the technology and communications that you
and your
family use. Think
of one way they
detract rather than enhance your daily life, and then make a commitment
to change.
Today’s Affirmation:
Every day I communicate in a healthy way with those whom I care about.
