Mar 18, 2008

Modern Conveniences

by Terri Wagner

I attended the opera for the first time Saturday night. The play was Andrea Chenier. I loved the fact that the opera was sung in Italian, set in the French revolution and had English subtitles. I was struck anew how touched my life is by modern conveniences.

And I love my modern conveniences. I love the Internet and the access it gives me to my ANWA sisters, my church and my world family. I love being able to IM with my college roomie across the miles from Alabama to Washington. I love being a part of something bigger than I am. I am grateful that unlike my ancestors, I can drive 100 miles roundtrip to work and it only hurts when I fill up with gas (growing more painful every day). And I love being able to jump on the Internet to find that piece of information that I need.

In a time of war, I find it astonishing that I can communicate citizen to soldier. My dad served in Vietnam, I remember days/weeks before we would get 2-3 letters at once. I love my cell phone and feel safe knowing I’m just a call away in an emergency.

And nicest of all is the fact that I can turn off the Internet, the cell phone, the car and feel the calm of starry night or a breezy beach or a still quiet moment with my dogs. I feel blessed to live in such a marvelous time. And humbled because I know as I’m sure you know these conveniences are for a greater purpose than our own indulgencies.

It truly is the dispensation of the fulness of time. I hope I never forget that though these are the last days and there is much evil, there is also much good.

4 comments:

  1. You are right. We don't always appreciate the incredible gifts around us and the we can choose to switch them off, which I need to do a better job at.

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  2. And don't forget central heating!

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  3. I remember how great it was that my grandmother, who was born at Winter Quarters in February, 1847 (in who knows quite how rough a setting)and arrived via covered wagon at the Great Salt Lake in early September of the same year, was able to take a ride in an airplane before she died. Yet here I am. The first auto I remember was a Ford Model A, I grew up on a farm without electricity or inside plumbing, learned to type on an old manual tpewriter, made copies with carbon paper, duplicated with a tray of geletin, listened to tinny music on a wind-up phonograph, and learned to sew on a treadle sewing machine. Yet I'm still around for the greatest explosion of technology. If we would just keep abreast with ethics, well, you finish the thought. I'm falling asleep.

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  4. Wow, I remember hearing an older woman asked what she thought was the most wonderful modern convenience. I think I expected to hear something like microwave ovens, or air conditioning, etc. Her answer was "running water." I love it! I would add, "hot, running water."

    Great post Terri. I always find myself thinking deep thought s after reading what you blog.

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