In the midst of grousing about this and that, honesty compels me to report an observation that has been rattling around in my pea-sized brain with unusual force for the past few weeks. Namely, don’t we live in an utterly amazing, astonishing time? How can our gratitude not be overflowing?
A hundred fifty years ago or thereabouts, my ancestors wandered into Illinois, cut down a bunch of trees, and started farming. Among the things we have today that they lacked:
Reliable surgery with anaesthesia and sterilized instruments. Ambulances. Numerous drugs and immunizations that are effective against life-destroying diseases.
Dentistry. (They would have pulled out a rotten tooth with pliers.)
Indoor plumbing, complete with running hot water. Air conditioning. A local fire department.
Cheap long-distance travel via automobile and airplane. Telephones. Cell phones. The Internet.
Toilet paper. Indoor electric lighting. Washing machines and dryers. Frozen food. Skateboards.
Home stereos with amazing sound quality, and tens of thousands of readily available CDs, so you can listen to Bill Evans, Prince, or Sviatoslav Richter in the comfort of your living room.
Movies. DVDs so you can watch movies at home.
Feel free to add your own fave items to the list. I’m just saying, “Wow!”
