From Aprons to E-mail and the like.....

I recently shared the story of the apron via e-mail;

Remember making an apron in Home Econimics?

The History of 'APRONS'

I don't think our kids know what an apron is.

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath because she only had a few. It was also because it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and aprons used less material.  But along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold Grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent 
over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After 
the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men folk knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

REMEMBER:

Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool.   Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.

They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron!!!
I don't think I ever caught anything from an apron - but love...

 The story of the apron brought the response below from my bff since Kindergarten, Vickie.

Ahhh, yes.  The good old days!  The Internet and email are great, but these two technologies alone have sure changed our World, don't you think? 

In my office, there are about 50 people within earshot and most of the time, the only sound you hear is the clicking of their keyboards.  There is no longer a need to speak on the phone because most communications are through the email.  Even to the person who sits behind you!  On this alone, these young people coming into the work force sit at their desks and text throughout the day....every day.   It is amazing!  And corporate America better clue in that getting rid of the older worker is not necessarily saving money because they hire the youngsters at 1/3 of the rate but they get a 1/3 of the work out of them!  The young workers have no allegiance to the company and most corporations no longer have allegiance to the workers!  Sad time to work, I'm glad I'm coming to the end of my work days!

I have heard many stories from Vickie and others about some of the younger adults in the work place today.  Not only from her place of employment but from college classes she has taken as a ....50 something year old. Stories of the lack of knowledge on every day life issues that many young adults suffer from. Their so unclear about "life" stuff. My Doctor told me he was interviewing for and administrative position and the interviewee when told the job was 5 days a week replied,

"In a row?"  

WHAT?(this is me speaking)

Now, this insight to how technology has had an affect on the work ethic (the constant need to text, and being paid while doing so), the absence of fully listening  and therefore learning something to prepare them for life...an what about the experience of making a  connection while using actual verbal communication? 
It all got me thinking about the facts as I have witnessed them.

Verbal communication gives one so much more information than the words being typed if you will, not to mention  we are more likely to fully listen  if we aren't distracted by the incoming text...to what is being said to us. 
Facial expression, emphasis on particular words are lost in e-mail, texting, tweeting 

(whatever the heck that is). 

I don't know how young adults would do  in an environment suddenly void of all this  technology?  Something to think about.  How do they learn to talk to a future spouse, employer, interviewer, or, express themselves with actual feeling to another human being? 
Would they understand anothers body language, pick up on what the speaker is feeling by looking into their eyes?

I personally have a difficult time when I am having a conversation when with someone who is constantly checking their phone, even texting replies back and forth while pretending to listen to , as I sit and think; really what is so important?  
It certainly isn't the time you are spending with me right now..

The same can be said while in a gathering of friends that you are so looking forward to seeing and they have that phone in hand....checking it all the while.  I want to say, 
why did you gather with us?

Don't get me wrong I do text and email, generally for yes or no responses which is great in the midst of a rushed day. I too understand that there are emergencies that happen..... If I have a loved one in the hospital or sick I will check my phone.  Otherwise, my attention is on you out of respect, so that you know that, what you say and my time spent with you is valuable to me.

I receive many texts in the evenings, my time with my husband....Call me, lets say it all in one swoop and we can both than get back to our evenings :-) 

Really, it's not that I don't want to hear from you....

I recently received the most beautiful card from my friend Lori and a hand written card from my Aunt Wilma. They caused me to pause and be reminded of how seldom we even write letters anymore.  There is nothing like going to the mail box and receiving a hand written note from someone who cares about you amongst the bills and junk mail we all carry in.

Had to sneak Khloe in here with her bubble blowing skills :-)

I'm thankful my grandchildren aren't texting yet....there is nothing that could top hearing the sound of their little voices and the expression in their words.  Maybe we need to start wearing those aprons again, maybe that will get us to thinking of how things used to be and what's been lost along the way to now.  

I realize technology will always be "improving" and making life easier for us.  But what is it robbing us of if we allow it into every part of our personal lives?

If I can't be with you, I want to hear your voice on the phone, because I care about you that much.  I want to be able to better sense how I should best reply to what you have to say.  I want to be able to sense your happiness, sorrow, depression, joy etc.... I want to be as present in our conversation as possible.

I hope that  in writing this I wasn't generalizing, or trying to make anyone feel badly. My intent is for us to consider what's been lost with the apron...if it came across in a hurtful way, 
it was not my intent. 

If you could hear me you would know that :-)

This is what echos from my heart today.......