Ch-Ch-Changes

I was talking to mother about a phone call she received from my niece Becca, who had a school project for which she needed some information. One of the questions she asked my (almost) 65-year-old mom was, "What was one of the most influential things that changed your life?"

First, let me say that's not something I could come up with an answer for just off the top of my head... I always think I would give an answer and then two days later come up with something way more relevant, making my first answer seem superficial.

Good thing she didn't ask me.

Anyway, mother started talking about how much things have changed since she was a little girl on the farm. Remember... she's only (almost) 65.

They didn't have running water. As in, no functional toilet in the house. She specifically remembers coming home from school one day to discover that her parents had bought a double basin sink that had running water hooked up to it ~ which meant no more going to the pump outside to bring in water for dishes.

They didn't have electricity... and their telephone? It was one that you had to crank.

And as she's talking about all of this I'm thinking that I remember episodes on Little House on the Prairie when the Oleson's got an indoor toilet... and that was WAY before my mom's time. (You're welcome, mom.) :) What I'm trying to say is... it wasn't that long ago that things were very different.

And THANK GOD it's changed!

I remember visiting my Grandpa and Grandma Frankl at their house one winter and we were going to town to rent a movie. In "those days" no one owned a VCR, you rented them from the movie store for the night. On this night, however, all of them were checked out... and my Grandpa rented a movie anyway, walked into a department store nearby and bought a VCR. I am telling you, I'm not sure if I thought he had won the lottery or lost his mind! But it was pretty darn exciting for the six of us grandkids when he did it.

Now picture that excitement compared to indoor plumbing. Seriously.

I just found it amazing that in the last 65 years we have gone from no technology to me becoming close friends with people I may never meet in person because space and distance no longer matter. We've gone from cranking telephones to me having video chats with my niece and nephew whenever the mood strikes. I can give testimony, first hand, that if you have the money to pay for shipping... you never have to leave your house again.

It's insane.

And I'm just trying to imagine what Becca's grandchildren will be shocked by when she's (almost) 65 years old...