Three Cell Phones

I saw something that both amused me and saddened me the other day. Three teenage girls were walking up the street together, but they didn’t seem together at all. Even though they walked side by side, they weren’t talking to each other. They weren’t laughing together. They weren’t even looking at each other. Instead each girl’s eyes rested firmly on their hands outstretched in front of them because in each girl’s palm was a cell phone. I am not sure why they weren’t talking to each other. Perhaps they were. With today’s technology it is hard to tell. Still, it made me shake my head to think that something as small as a cell phone could put so much distance between girls who were so close together.

Since the beginning of time ideas and inventions have flowed from the mind of God to the minds of people. Since the beginning of time too, however, people have used these ideas and inventions to both help and hurt themselves. The person who first cast metal saw their idea turned into plowshares that helped feed thousands and swords that killed thousands more. Nobel saw his invention of dynamite used to blow apart mountains, to build roads for the benefit of everyone. He also saw it used to blow apart bodies and end countless lives in war. Albert Einstein saw the fruit of his genius used to create abundant power that helps millions of people everyday. He saw as well it used to build bombs that could kill us all a hundred times over.

Every invention and every piece of technology can be used to help us grow better and closer together or it can be used to distance us and destroy us. The choice is in how we use it. The key I feel is love. God’s greatest wish is for us to love each other. I hope you make all of your calls and e-mails joyous gifts of love then. But if there is someone right beside you who needs your love don’t be afraid to turn off the electronics, look them in the eye, and give them a hug.

~ Joseph J. Mazzella ~

[ by: Joseph J. Mazzella Copyright © 2009 (joecool@wirefire.com) -- submitted by: Joseph Mazzella ]