Life was simpler growing up. I am at that age where technology in high school meant giant desktop computers so big they took over the entire desk. In college, technology brought with it email and laptop computers. Today, how could I live without a cell phone in hand?

A Simpler Time

In many ways, technology has made life better and not just because of life-saving medications and treatments. Easy access to information has helped me to learn and better myself, entertain myself, and reach out to friends far and wide.

In other ways, I miss the personal touch. I miss handwritten letters, birthday cards and telephone calls where, *gasp*, you actually talk to the person rather than text.

Technology somehow glorifies the busy life in lieu of the simple things.

Technology Breaks the Human Connection

Funerals have changed too. I remember attending one for my great aunt several years ago. Living well into her 90s, she was a strong woman, unafraid to speak her mind. She was the kind of woman you respected not because you always agreed with what she was saying but because she stood by her convictions. She left an impact on those she met and her funeral should have mirrored that.

It is a shame her services did not honor her the way she deserved. Too many people were distracted by their tech.

• Back in my day, when you went to funerals, phones did not ring during the service.
• Back in my day, when you went to funerals, you did not see people pulling phones out of their pockets every two seconds to see if there was a text waiting for them.
• Back in my day, when you went to funerals, you did not see people with phones at their ear or in their hand as they gave condolences to family members in the receiving line.
• Back in my day, when you went to funerals, all the seats were full or at least nearly so, not close to empty because people were too busy to make time to pay their respects.
• Back in my day, when you went to funerals, people took the time to be with each other after the services to talk about the life lost, to celebrate it. They did not scatter immediately back to the busyness of life as if nothing had happened.

Modern Day Funerals Lose Heart

Everyone grieves differently. I am not judging people for coping in whatever way they see fit. During difficult times, you have to take matters into your own heart. What I witnessed did not pertain to any one person or group of people. What I witnessed was a change in the times.

Maybe I am a traditionalist. It seems that passing of a loved one comes off as more of an inconvenience these days than as a moment to reflect on what life is all about. Someday, when I leave this earth, I hope everyone leaves their phones at the door. I want people to talk to one another. Someone reading a handwritten eulogy would be lovely too, but it may be too much to ask.

We need to pull away from the allure of technology and our busy lives long enough to remember why we do what we do. Life is important. Life is beautiful. Whether back in the day or today, it all matters. It always matters.