Striking a happy balance between old and new

Igot up in the morning and out of habit reached out for the phone, expecting to read about 50 ‘good morning’ messages. What! There was no message. Unbelievable! And then I looked at the bar on the top of the mobile that said: ‘Waiting for network’. All this even before saying a word of morning greeting to my husband! Then I realised that he had warned me the night before about it because there was a bandh call.

The internet was down, messages were not being delivered and my mind was in a state of confused chaos. I got out of bed feeling restless and at a total loss. Gradually but painfully, I got a grip on myself and started about my daily chores.

The wheels of my mind rotated as I tried to think about what we did when there was no internet. The memory is now dim but at least I have something to remember. The generation born into the internet age has no such memory. We would get up and talk to each other, a jibe here, a retort there, even a war of words sometimes. The house used to be filled with boisterous chatter, a fun-filled exchange as we got ready for school. Back home, we recalled the day describing our classmates, the teachers and the fun we had when the more gifted pals mimicked their style of teaching. Our everyday natter was full of emotion, fun, excitement, anger, disappointment, exuberance… you name it.

Life has changed. We are all aware of it; we see it around us every minute of the day. Everyone is peering at the screen, be it the phone, or the computer, or the tablet/ipad. Verbal exchange has dwindled considerably. I received a forward and I am sure many of us have seen it too, where the family goes to visit the grandparents and after a perfunctory word of greeting sits with eyes glued to their mobiles, oblivious of the reason they are there.

I miss the phone calls we made and received for inviting, even if it was for a kitty with a fixed date, time and venue; that was so personal vis-a-vis now which is so mechanical. I crave the feeling of connection one felt after talking to someone, a meaningful word, an expression of concern, a word of appreciation that left one alive.

We cannot alter the change, not even slow it down and definitely not control it, but I miss the simple pleasures of actually talking, of writing letters. I love what technology is providing and try hard to keep up with it but I do look back with a twinge as I remember the simple pleasure of human exchange that is left behind.

“Old ways won’t open new doors.” Ruefully, I realise the truth in the statement of George Bernard Shaw, “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”

It would be wonderful if one can strike a happy balance between the old and the new, as we all walk into the future with the change that is here to stay.

WE CANNOT ALTER THE CHANGE, NOT EVEN SLOW IT DOWN AND DEFINITELY NOT CONTROL IT