After dropping my daughter off at school, I came home and logged on while Hubs and Buck remained asleep. Every now and then I’d do a chore or two; start the dishwasher, sweep the floor. I always came back to see if anything “new” had popped up on FB or my WordPress Reader. Suddenly I was reminded of a conversation my dad and I had.
I was fretting one day about not being able to call someone, or maybe my internet connection was down because of a lightning strike…I forget. Anyway, my dad said “What did your Grandmother (his mom) do when she had no one to talk to?”. Good point.
I cannot imagine going about my day without SOME contact with the outside world, even if it’s only via the internet. What if my day was totally secluded, contained within the borders of my home? What if my only “adult conversation” was with my husband? Those of you who know me would understand the dilemma there. Hubs does not speak, unless it is to ask what’s for dinner. The quiet that was so refreshing and appealing when we were dating has become a slight aggravation after eleven years of marriage. 🙂
Still, what if I couldn’t text my mom or my sister to complain, brag or inquire? What if I had no idea what was happening in the world, apart from what the radio revealed? Well, this was my grandmother’s world. The t.v. wasn’t on during the day (mine isn’t either, honestly I hardly watch it). She had a telephone but made only necessary calls and kept it short and to the point. There was no internet. No cell phones. If one’s car died while driving, they had to walk. Another thing, there were no “mom groups” or fancy play dates. A child’s first friends was her sibling or cousins.
Yes, there are a lot of things about the era in which my grandmother raised children that is appealing to me, and she did it because that was the norm. There was no alternative.
Personally, I think I’d go nuts without the internet now that I have it. I can do without tv. Maybe even the phone, except for emergencies. Does this make me a busy body. Not really. I’m not nosing into other’s business. Even on Facebook. I’m just an information-driven personality.
So, give me quiet days. Give me the value of hard work and family. But also give me information at my fingertips.
Just sayin’.
A Mom Looking Up 