Some time ago we lost electricity at home when a squirrel met his tragic end at a Consumers Energy substation. The pwoer outage lasted about 4 hours, ample time to give my kids an education as they tried to make lunch without electrical appliances. The conversation that followed gave them a new appreciation for modern technology. It also made me wonder...just what element of that technology do I like the most?
It may seem obvious, but electricity is high on that list. I also love having the freedom of a car to get me from place to place, transportation not subject to the whims and moods of a horse (not to mention I really don't want to clean up horse poop). My cell phone keeps me in contact with my kids when I am away from thenm, and my son's phone even allows him to call home regularly from his Army post in Korea! I enjoy my laptop computer as I sit here with my feet up, typing away. How about the internet itself? The "world wide web" keeps a vast array of information at one's fingertips. We could consider artificial hair dye, safety razors, television, digital cameras (not to mention the technology of simply taking photographs!), advanced in medicine (ask any woman who has given birth with an epidural)...the list goes on and on.
But when I really consider it all, the technology that changes my life the most is my contact lenses. I have worn glasses since 3rd grade, and worn contacts since age 16. That litle piece of plastic liberates me...gives me a freedom I owould have no other way. Yes, glasses are nice. I like my glasses, and spend a small fortune to get features as high index lenses and rolled and polished edges to decrease the appearance of thick lenses. But I have to take them off at night, and I can't swim with them. My vision is good only thru the very center of the lenses. But contact, oh sweet contacts. I can sleep in them for up to a month without taking them out. I swim in them, I shower with them in place, I go to slep with them and I wake up in the morning able to see the alarm clock. It is as close as I will ever come to normal vision. Without them, I am legally blind. I would not be able to work, I certainly couldn't drive. I oculdn't see the lovely smiles on my children's faces, or watch the sun setting as the day comes to a close.
Yup...when all is said and done...I am ever so grateful that someone had the foresight to imagine that a small soft piece of plastic int he front of an eye could open a whole world. I love my contacts.
