I first used the Internet in 1995 -- my first year of college. It wasn't until 1998 that I began emailing regularly. I never had a computer in my house while I was growing up. This means that I spent 18 years of my life void of technology. Sure we had some computers at school. But they were a "treat" ... not something that we did frequently. My Dad had a computer in his office. Because I loved to write, I would sit and type on that thing for hours and hours. But that's about as far as technology and I travelled.
We got our first microwave oven when I was in junior high school. I remember our TV used to have a remote connected to the TV with a cord. I also remember that my Dad used to borrow the school's VCR on weekends so that we could watch a movie on VHS at home. VCR's were very expensive.
We had a black and white TV when I was really young. (I remember because we had an argument about the fact that my dad wanted to watch basketball on the color TV and have us kids watch The Wizard of Oz on the black and white TV. "You can't watch The Wizard of Oz in black and white," I remember my Mom saying to our defense.)
But still -- while I wasn't on the computer as a child, I have had one in my home for about 15 years of my 35.
Now imagine our parents! They didn't get on a computer until they were in their thirties! Can you imagine? Talk about a total life-changing event.
I say all this to say that we should all have extra patience. We should all have extra grace when we are talking them through how to get on Skype. How to save a file. How to print a paper.
And we also need to remember that our children (my boys have recently learned how to use a mouse) will majorly be doing the same thing to us as we age. Get ready for it!
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