Journaling Ezine

Kristen, thanks for commenting on this week’s newsletter about being “Plugged In.” You’ve taken control of technology while, at the same time, acknowledged its value. Teaching children balance is really a “do by example” kind of thing, and it sounds like you’ve got that part down. Congratulations!

I like your slogan: “Family first. Answer … whatever else … second.” And if we don’t have a family to keep us in line, we can substitute it with “Self-care first, technology second.” (And, I guess, that would include not texting while we’re walking across the street.) Yesterday — I am not kidding — I saw a young woman texting while riding her bicycle through an intersection. Okay … texting is cool, and I take advantage of it, too, but only when I’m sure I’m not going to get run over.

Archer, thanks for your response, which I’ve pondered over for some time. I know that recent history—the last 5 or 6,000 years—has been full of violence and conflict. I have also read that there is evidence of peaceful, matriarchal societies living prior to that time. I’d like to believe that’s true. Perhaps war as we know it has been facilitated by the development of tools and technologies to support it and that, without those tools, conflict between tribes was smaller and less destructive.

I’d like to think—and some part of me believes—that peace is possible on earth. That is not to say that there won’t always be tension and even conflict. I agree with you that tension is a part of this life, a part of this space and time continuum. But I don’t know that conflict must be dealt with violently. Perhaps humankind is simply like a child who hasn’t learned to use his words yet; he hits and bites to get his way. But when he matures, he learns to discuss and negotiate, to find a solution that will work for both parties. Here’s to hoping that we grow up.