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f ROMTHE THEEDITOR EDITOR ROM Looking back back Looking into the the future future into I I don't think it has sunk in yet that we of confident relationships seem to have stores, McDonald's , or microwave stores, McDonald's, or microwave ovens! OK, we are horribly spoiled. ovens! OK, we are horribly spoiled. To drift back to a time that is very unTo drift back to a time that is very unfamiliar to us except what we have read familiar to us except what we have read would be an exciting venture indeed. I would be an exciting venture indeed. wonder what those people would think Iof wonder what those people would think of our world. We can brag on modern our world. We can brag on modern technology in all areas of our lives but has technology in all areas of our lives but has it made our lives richer and fuller? The it made our lives richer and fuller? The respect for others, our families, the bonds we are raising or to be friends with our we are raising or to be friends with our neighbors . We can have everything that neighbors. We can have everything that money can buy, but love for one another money can buy, but love for one another is more precious than any of those things. is more precious anyraising of thosetheir things. Mothers arethan often kids Mothers are often raising their kids alone while working full-time jobs . alone while working full-time jobs. Divorce is so commonplace it doesn't Divorce is so commonplace it doesn't even raise eyebrows anymore. even raise eyebrows anymore. Things are so different , yet not Things are so different, yet not necessarily better. If we could just com- of confident relationships seem to have don't it has in yet that we havethink stepped intosunk a new decade, the gotten lost in the race towards filling our have stepped into a new decade, the gotten lost in the race towards filling our final decade of the 20th century. Just 10 lives with mechanical conveniences. Our final decade of the 20th century. Just 10 lives with mechanical conveniences. Our more years and we will witness the year kids have missed out on bedtime stories have missed out on bedtime stories more years and we will witness the year kids 2000 being reveled in. told by loving parents who had the time to 2000 being reveled in. told by loving parents who had the time to Can you imagine what our ancestors devote to raising them with the values Can you imagine what our ancestors devote to raising them with the values were experiencing when they stood on the they themselves had been taught. Instead were experiencing when they stood on the they themselves had been taught. Instead threshold of the 1890s, knowing that in they are content to let the TV lull them to threshold of the 1890s, knowing that in they are content to let the TV lull them to just 10 short years it would be 1900. Here sleep. just 10 short years it would be 1900. Here sleep. Maybe instead of looking back at how we are 100 years later in a world they we are 100 years later in a world they Maybe instead of looking back at how would scarcely recognize. Wouldn't it be hard times were and comparing them to would scarcely recognize. Wouldn't it be hard times were and comparing them to astounding for them to be transported to our easy lives of today, it would be better astounding for them to be transported to our easy lives of today, it would be better our time, maybe landing in the middle of to try and capture the true friendships and our time, maybe landing in the middle of to try and capture the true friendships and an interstate, a shopping mall, or an air- shared experiences people had in those anport! interstate, a shopping mall, or an air- shared experiences people had in those I am full of amazement when I early days . They may not have had much port! I am full of amazement when I early days. They may not have had much ponder the changes that have occurred to share, but sharing themselves was share, but sharing themselves was ponder the changes that have occurred tosomehow enough. How many of you during this century . during this century. somehow enough. How many of you Compare medical advancements, don't even know who lives down the Compare medical advancements, don't even know who lives down the transportation, and communication to street from you? We have filled our lives transportation, and communication to street from you? We have filled our lives what was available lOOyears ago. Isn't it with things like TV and commuting to what was available 100 years ago. Isn't it with things like TV and commuting to just a little overwhelming? I can't imagine jobs that are fiJled with stress. It leaves too just a little overwhelming? I can't imagine jobs that are filled with stress. It leaves too no phones, radios, televisions, grocery little time to be examples to the children no phones, radios, televisions, grocery little time to be examples to the children respect for others, our families, the bonds 12 PLAY METER/February 1990 12 PLAY METER/February 1990 necessarily better. If we could just com- bine the best of both worlds-the modern technology with the old-fashioned values technology with the old-fashioned values that have yellowed with time. that have yellowed with time. Think of the changes in our industry. Think of the changes in our industry. It's been 100 years since people were It's been 100 years since people were treated to the sounds of music from a treated to the sounds of music from a machine. It was 60 years ago that the first machine. It was 60 years ago that the first pinball game offered entertainment for a pinball game offered entertainment for a coin. You can really absorb the reality of coin. You can really absorb the reality of progress when you remember that it was when you remember that it was progress only 15 years ago when solid-state eleconly 15 years agoelectro-mechanical when solid-state electronics replaced pintronics replaced electro-mechanical pinball machines and video games were onball machines and video games were only novelties. ly novelties. Just as our distant relatives pondered Just as our distant relatives pondered over what life would be like in the 20th over what life would be like in the 20th century, we contemplate our future. Like our future. Like contemplate wemust century, them, we realize that we have abthem, we must realize that we have absolutely no idea what is in store for us. As solutely no idea what is in store for us. As we cross over to the last decade of the cenwe cross over to the last decade of the century, we can only hope it will prepare us tury, we can only hope it will prepare us for what lies ahead . D bine the best of both worlds-the modern for what lies ahead. Valerie Cognevich Editor Editor Valerie Cognevich