Caught Between Technology and Reality

October 24, 2013
There seems to be two worlds. The virtual one and the real one. Some days I struggle with the relationship between the two.

I'm not one of those middle-aged people who is afraid of computers or technology. I've always been curious about how things work so I dig in and get involved. Gadgets intrigue me, puzzles compel me. I've taught myself html and excel. I've learned Adobe Photoshop and Indesign. I was one of the first parents to hop on Facebook when my kids started connecting there when they were in college. I had to find out what that was all about. I had no idea it would be us middle-aged folks or baby boomers who would populate the nation of Facebook and then Twitter, Google+, etc. 

I'm also not one of those people who think we need technology to connect. Though I was born in 1959, in many ways, I grew up in the previous century. As a missionary kid growing up in a third world country, we often lived in places without running water or toilets in the house. WE boiled water to make it clean enough to drink and to make our bath water warm. Occasionally I studied by kerosene lamp. For entertainment, we rode bike, walked the beaches, climbed the local mountain and had weekly "talent" shows. we made peanut butter, jelly and ice cream from scratch. It's possible to have everything you need without television, computers, factories or even telephones. 

Sometimes, my soul feels a little trapped between these two lives. I'm grateful for the comforts I now have, clean water, hot showers and streaming Internet that allows me to write this blog, for instance. I love that through the magic of the Internet, I can connect with a great friend in Sweden, stay in touch with acquaintances in Italy and see updates of news and pictures from my homeland, Madagascar. But I also feel a little trapped by the technology. If I don't keep up with the break-neck speed at which it all develops, will I be left behind by my friends? Some days by the time I have answered all the emails and text messages, I don't have any energy left to use my hands to pick up my guitar and play a song or spend some times cleaning up the clutter in my room. It worries me. There are days that I long for that life without electricity, where it was all so real, where our bodies worked with our minds to make it all happen. 

So where's the balance? Where's the connection between the two worlds? The one world is very sensory--colors, textures, sounds, tastes, requiring that we unplug from the wall and see where we are, notice what is around us, look each other in the eye and actually touch. The other world is full of information and people, connections, we can find out anything we want from anywhere in the world. We can learn anything and feed our creativity but it requires that we ignore where we are and follow our hearts and minds. 

How do I find the Holy One within it? How do I find my true self within it all? And where do the two worlds meet 

A Word Diet

My husband says the emails I write are too long…that I should never ask more than 3 questions or make more than 3 points if I expect to get a response…yikes!! That means I’ve got a lot of cutting back on words to do!! So here’s a few attempts to be brief…:o)

Love you on a (word) diet
You
Me
Magic
Mysterious connections
Overlooking difference
Forgiving doubt
Creating joy
Encouraging growth
Amazing
Me
You
Love
© 2008 Julie A. Bonde

Half
Half a friendship is only one
Ignore one half of a friendship
Whether the person ignored is you or the other
You end up without a friendship
© 2008 Julie A. Bonde

Who saves whom?
She walked right past all the slime
Looked right through the grime
Reached through the darkness
Grasped the desperate hand
And found her self saved in the process.

How could she then reason it made sense to later walk away,
And let go of the hand that had saved her?
© 2008 Julie A. Bonde

The profit of friendship
Smiling
Gotta smirk in my soul
Know that it’s because I like who I am
That I like who you are when you’re with me
When we’re together, we know the secrets
The idiocies that make life so silly
You can’t help but have a smirk
In your soul
© 2008 Julie A. Bonde

AMAZING YOUNG PEOPLE

Every once in awhile something good happens in your life that there seems to be no reasonable explanation for. This is what I call grace! The young people in my life are grace in abundance!

I'd like to introduce you a few of them. Some of them are my own boys, some are boarders, some are friends.

In the top left-hand picture, from left to right are Jake, Luke, Lecorey, and Phanit.

In the bottom left-hand picture, from left to right in the back row, Luke, Kevin, Erica & Karl. In the front is Konomi.

Some live here full-time. Some drop in on weekends. Some just give their presence by hanging out for an evening or a day. I don't know what I did or how I managed to deserve such a gift. I remember not liking teenagers when I was one and not being that impressed with young people even when I was in my early twenties. I was always hanging out with older people then. And now here I am with a house full of beautiful, soulful and thoughtful young people who keep me learning, growing, and appreciating the presence of the Spirit in this time in, this place.

They are among the most grace-filled and wise people I know. They are accepting, funny, intense, spiritual, lively, helpful and very loving. I am proud to have them as my companions in this part of my journey and hope that I will have the privilege of knowing them for a long time to come.

I am so grateful for this grace!

Jules

© 2008 Julie A. Bonde