Technology and Life

When I started writing my blog “Real Networking”, I wanted to take a non-conventional look at Technology and how it affects our lives.

Today is my birthday (I’m 44) and the birthday wishes are flooding in from around the country and world from friends and relatives via Facebook and eCards. It is remarkable when you think how much technology has become a part of our social fabric. I’m sure we can all remember, as kids, running to the mailbox for the hallmark card mailed from our Grandparents with the obligatory $5.00 included. I remember grade school when we used exchange little valentines with our classmates. The world has changed quite a bit.

I received a call earlier this week that a good friend of mine had been diagnosed with cancer. This is devastating news for anyone. This news is the most difficult for my friend and his family. All of his friends were devastated as well. Our thoughts and prayers and love go out to him and his family for a quick and speedy recovery.

It is always difficult to gauge how to approach someone who is ill. Do you make them food, do you call, do stop by and visit? The answer to all of that is yes. However, there is a time to do those things and a time to allow people the peace and privacy that they need to spend time with family.

What I have found is Technology really can help bring people closer as well. I spoke to my friend as he was coming home from chemotherapy. In a bit of a haze, he told me some details. I have been getting periodic updates via Texts and was able to find out from him when he would be well enough to receive visitors. All of this was done, without the intrusion into his privacy that phone calls and visits require. A simple text saying that he was at the hospital for testing and would let me know later how things went was all I really needed. He didn’t have to explain his emotions to me; he didn’t have to explain anything. I know he wants to let us know how he’s doing, but on his own terms. This electronic communication also let me reach out and contact our circle of friends to let them know updates for which everyone was grateful.

Obviously texting or emailing is never a substitute for a hug or a handshake or a face to face conversation. It is something different. It allows for a passive form of love and caring that didn’t exist before technology became part of our lives. It allows someone to gently reach out without intrusion, much in the way that conventional mail does. This allows someone, like my friend, to feel in touch without giving up privacy. This allows all of his friends to reach out without intrusion.

I am looking forward to seeing my friend later this week to give him the love and support and a hug that he should have at a time like this. Strangely enough, texting him this week has made me feel more involved without burdening my friend when his focus should be on getting healthy. It has been a difficult week for me to deal with this news, but with some simple technology I feel as though my friend knows we love him and are here for him. I know that all of us can’t wait to come see him and give him a good old fashioned hug that even technology will never be able to replace.