Better may not be BEST

By: Ms. O

 

I have been around for a good many years. Hey, I don’t mind admitting it. I was told once that every day above ground is a good day. During my lifetime I have seen plenty of inventions…the brilliance of a thought that comes into fruition.

 

Our first television that I remember from when I was little was HUGE….as in it was a piece of furniture. It had a black and white picture, which did not bother me at the time. All I knew was I turned on….as in had to actually walk over to the television set and turn it on…BY HAND…and a picture appeared…poof…MAGIC! No one cared that we had only three channels…it was an escape from everyday life. I will tell you though….when my friend got a color television set I did not have the same sense of awe with our black and white…sigh.  Nowadays I wonder if having so many channels…on so many televisions sets…all in different rooms is such a good thing after all.  What used to bring the family together has now moved us apart.

 

The way I have listened to music has changed over the years. I had 45’s and 33’s…8-track…cassette tapes…CD’s…and now Ipods…Itunes. I know that I am most likely behind in whatever is most up to date…but really…I hesitate in telling you I still have a few albums that I just don’t feel right giving away. As much as the youth would like to think their music is unique I will have to say, most music…the kind that lasts…does not change….it just rewrites itself to a different tune.

I remember my first microwave….although the only reason I used it was for nachos, baked potatoes and popcorn. I could not master the art of thawing out or cooking with the early model…way too complicated at the time. It sure did heat up coffee and soup though….instantaneous gratification at it’s finest. What is crazy is that using an oven …or the stove…to make a meal…permeates the house with the smell of dinner that no microwave will ever master. 

 

We bought our first VHS camcorder and thought we were all that and a bag of chips. Never mind the fact that it was the size of a sewing machine and the battery life was less than a full football/baseball/soccer game.   I have a tub of VHS tapes… Christmas’s, birthdays, recitals, school plays, cheerleading performances, sporting events…all on tape…but no clue what to do with now.  Now we use digital everything…”trash” the ones that aren’t worthy to keep…and then file the rest away on our computers.

 

My first cell phone could have been part of a fitness regiment. Holding that device up to my ear for any longer than ten minutes required added effort. Maybe that was a good thing because we paid by the minute but no one could exceed long periods of time…unless they were exercise gurus. These days all I know is no matter what phone I get, there will be a newer model that will come out within an hour of my purchase that makes mine look like yesterday’s old news. I wonder if the next generation will even know what a land line is…to be hooked to a wall…connected in one of the main rooms of the home.

This has all come to mind to me lately because my son and his wife are having their first child…my first grandchild. I went with them to a local “baby outlet”…and was amazed…confused…beyond comprehension of what in the world one small creature “needs” these days. I know it has been a long time since I had babies in the house but mercy, how did I raise them with the limited supplies I had?! There is something for everything…I mean that literally. My mind was swimming as I heard explanations of this…and that…and more. 

 

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. “ 1 Peter 5:8

 

I have come to this realization. At times we get bogged down by all the newest gadgets…the bigger…or smaller…faster…smarter than us inventions. Sure, progress is amazing…and I don’t mean to say that we should not take advantage of what comes on the horizon…but we need to hold steady to what we DO know…what is TRUE. We cannot allow the world to consume us. There will always be something new …better…more stream lined…but we are all a work in progress…steps into the future. 

 

Truth be told…the most important thing my future grandchild needs is…love. Sure those other things will make day to day raising a wee bit easier…but…nothing takes the place of pure love. Kind of like the Father’s love for us…all we really need…that makes us grow…and flourish….the rest is just gravy…the good old fashioned from scratch kind. 

Amen