The Personal Face Of Technology

When it comes to modern day technology I'm a bit of a dinosaur. I still watch the news on TV, not streaming video on my computer. I do not text nor tweet. My cell phone is no more than a Tracfone to which I add the minimum number of minutes to keep it active and never do use all of them.

We have, however, invested in a magic jack so we can talk to those out of town friends, especially overseas, who we can't chat with via computer. I do blog. I am on Facebook.

I was just ready to shower this morning when the news of the 8.8 quake just south of Santiago, Chile penetrated my morning fog. My heart beat soared and I felt a quake of my own in the pit of my stomach. I have a young friend who attends University in Santiago.

I raced to my computer and opened her Facebook page and there they were, comforting messages going out to her friends that nearly all seemed well with family though she was still checking with friends. Whew! I sent her a quick note and went back to my shower.

I became acquainted with this young lady after she had heard a story on CNN a few years back. It was about seniors who blog and I was included. She dropped me an e-mail telling me how neat she thought it was. We started exchanging correspondence and do to this day.

I've watched her mature into a lovely young woman. I've seen her go from pre-law to veterinary medicine. I've listened through romances; we've discussed the world politic. The correspondence waxed and waned but remained. When we found one another on Facebook, she chided me for taking so long. Today it was a saving grace.

We've all sat mesmerized by the information that flowed from Iran during the election uprisings down to the death of a young woman who became their rallying cry. We watched the devastation in Haiti in real time and today we're seeing blanket coverage of the Chilean quake while waiting to see if a massive Tsunami hits Hawaii. The bulk of this is coming from cell phone video and Twitter.

I watch coverage of such events marveling at the technology that brings it to us no matter how hard oppressive governments try to squelch it. Usually with a degree of detachment.

Not today. It hit me personally. I realized how much I've come to care for a young woman I've never met and most likely never will. Yet I consider her friend. We even have an American city in common. Her mother resides in the Pittsburgh area where I grew up.

It is indeed a small world. Technology makes it more and more accessible. Today, there is nothing but good about that.