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Losing The Human
Touch?
By
Mary Beth Barry |
 Braintree
- Let’s take a trip down memory lane! I remember as a
child picking up the rotary phone in our home and hearing
our neighbors speaking a language I could not understand.
They were speaking French on a party line! Each Christmas I
received a new transistor radio with a 9 volt battery and an
ear piece. The AM radio stations were, at best, limited but
played the current music of the time. On Sunday nights the
frequencies must have been different and I could hear a
Canadian radio station. This was so exciting. We had one
black and white television set with a large antenna, usually
with a piece of aluminum foil on the top to help with
reception. Channels, 2, 4, 5, 7 and later 38 and 56 were the
options available and the channels were changed by getting
out of the chair and turning the dial.
In hot weather we rolled down the windows in the car and oh
yes, we started the car with a key in the ignition and not
remotely. Remember drive in movies with the speakers in the
window?
Well now we have text messages, emails, voicemails, faxes,
IPods, webcams computers and the list goes on and on. I am
amazed at watching a four year old maneuver a mouse and
recite their favorite web sites as if it was hard wired in
their brain from birth.
The point of this little journey was to offer a few examples
on how technology has changed our lives in such a short
period of time. The list of examples is extensive and mind
boggling when you think about it. We now have the option to
replace and rebuild body parts and vital organs offering new
hope and quality of life to many people who may not have had
other options. Technology has opened our world to
instantaneous communication anywhere. There is no place to
hide anymore.
There are times when the pager, cell phone and text messages
are all going off at the same time and may be from the same
person who is looking for me. I love it when people call me
to tell me they just sent me an email and now I have to deal
with the issue twice.
Technology is great but sometimes it makes me wish for
simple and quiet. Remember the feeling of going to the
mailbox and finding a card or letter from a friend? Or just
sitting and having a cup of tea together, face to face,
sharing and talking in person. I hope that as we advance in
our use of technology that we not lose sight of our personal
relationships and Hallmark cards or handwritten letters.
Imagine how surprised and happy one of your friends would be
to hear from you the “old fashion way”. Enjoy. |
About The Author
Mary Beth Barry, RN, MSM, CHPN is Director at Hospice
of the South Shore. You may reach her at (781) 794-7875 or
learn more at www.sshosp.org.
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