From the Manse
The other day I was communicating simultaneously with one of my sisters who happened to be on holiday in the Caribbean, a sister-in-law in Florida, my nephew in Canada and another sister in Glasgow. I was using a Family WhatsApp group to be in touch with them all at the same time. Modern technology, particularly in the field of communication, is really awesome and yet scary. The ability to send photographs and messages from the Caribbean to Glasgow, Florida and Canada instantaneously is mind-boggling but that is the reality. At home I use the internet for almost all my correspondence between the Presbytery offices, 121 George St, the utility companies and even the bank. On my mobile I keep in touch with all my friends: it is all so fantastic.
If I am communicating so freely and so wide ranging and most of you (including the great number of you who use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and more) why are we seeing a rise in the number of people who experience or complain of loneliness? The mind boggles. In an age when we can communicate with our families around the globe with a few swipes on our phones or the press of a button on the same phone we are aware more and more people are experiencing isolation. As a wee boy I was sent to the shops to pick up some messages, many of you were likewise sent to the shops. It was a pain, but you met Mrs McGlumphy, old Mr Bore, the gorgeous Charlene from round the corner and the shopkeeper him or herself. You saw the world (or your little world) and it was good. You experienced the reality of personal encounter and it gave something to your life- possibly not always welcome but it was human, not plastic and metal as our phones and computers are.
I love my phone: I love its ability to make my life easier in a whole host of ways- instant map, calendar, notebook, directory, camera and much more. Do you know what I also love? Going to Morrison’s and chatting to the staff, bumping into members of the kirk (many a time I harassed Neil Buchanan in Morrison’s on a Saturday morning just because he was a pal of Cameron’s) and seeing other human beings interact with strangers and friends alike. It’s called humanity and it’s great. “The Word (Jesus) became flesh”, says John’s Gospel. Sometimes I think we forget that humanity needs personal contact. Visit or go out with a pal. God bless,
Tom
The other day I was communicating simultaneously with one of my sisters who happened to be on holiday in the Caribbean, a sister-in-law in Florida, my nephew in Canada and another sister in Glasgow. I was using a Family WhatsApp group to be in touch with them all at the same time. Modern technology, particularly in the field of communication, is really awesome and yet scary. The ability to send photographs and messages from the Caribbean to Glasgow, Florida and Canada instantaneously is mind-boggling but that is the reality. At home I use the internet for almost all my correspondence between the Presbytery offices, 121 George St, the utility companies and even the bank. On my mobile I keep in touch with all my friends: it is all so fantastic.
If I am communicating so freely and so wide ranging and most of you (including the great number of you who use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and more) why are we seeing a rise in the number of people who experience or complain of loneliness? The mind boggles. In an age when we can communicate with our families around the globe with a few swipes on our phones or the press of a button on the same phone we are aware more and more people are experiencing isolation. As a wee boy I was sent to the shops to pick up some messages, many of you were likewise sent to the shops. It was a pain, but you met Mrs McGlumphy, old Mr Bore, the gorgeous Charlene from round the corner and the shopkeeper him or herself. You saw the world (or your little world) and it was good. You experienced the reality of personal encounter and it gave something to your life- possibly not always welcome but it was human, not plastic and metal as our phones and computers are.
I love my phone: I love its ability to make my life easier in a whole host of ways- instant map, calendar, notebook, directory, camera and much more. Do you know what I also love? Going to Morrison’s and chatting to the staff, bumping into members of the kirk (many a time I harassed Neil Buchanan in Morrison’s on a Saturday morning just because he was a pal of Cameron’s) and seeing other human beings interact with strangers and friends alike. It’s called humanity and it’s great. “The Word (Jesus) became flesh”, says John’s Gospel. Sometimes I think we forget that humanity needs personal contact. Visit or go out with a pal. God bless,
Tom