Welcome to the 21st Century!

Recent exchanges on facebook made me realize how communications have changed, just in my lifetime. Perhaps the "event" that pushed me in this direction was a facebook chat a few days ago. My little chat box seldom pops up, but on this particular morning a friend from Switzerland greeted me in Swiss-German. I responded in my best misspelled German mentioning my inability to write the language properly. She assured me she could read English, so we continued with a mish-mash of language. While this was happening another chat box popped up! A "kid" from my church in TX whom I have not seen in 6 years greeted me! (He was about 10 years old when we left TX 6 years ago.) So in the blink of an eye I am sitting in Missouri, drinking coffee, and "talking" to friends scattered thousands of miles apart!

Putting that event back into my childhood mind I realize it is something I could never have imagined--even in my wildest dreams.

Later in the week, on a school day, I read an entry made by a middle school student commenting on his first period class that was going on even as he entered the comment on facebook! Before long one of his peers scolded him for making the entry from the classroom. He quickly responded saying, in effect, "You're doing it too!" Her reply, "I'm home schooled." I entered my comment, asking if there wasn't a rule against facebooking during class. He didn't respond.

Later an older college-aged sister added a comment to her brother's original comment from his first period class. "Back in my day," she wrote, "we didn't have facebook." I couldn't resist adding, "Back in my day we had to pass notes written on paper with Xs and Os at the bottom for hugs and kisses. And if we got caught we were sent to the Principal's office." Just reflecting on the changes these exchanges represent stretches my mind. Somewhere in the midst of these exchanges the mother of the middle-school student jumps in with her comment. Addressing her son with his full name she writes, "If you are reading this in class YOU ARE BUSTED!" Parenting in the 21st century is a challenge and I thank God my parenting days are behind me.

Now, with the news of the earthquake in Chili and the impending tsunami, my thoughts run to our friends scattered around the world in various parts of South America, Hawaii, Japan and PNG. All at once the 21st century communication seems so inadequate.