The art of living

I am constantly amazed by the science of living.  Our lives are easier because of the wonderful inventions that help us accomplish our tasks.  (The third load of washing is in the dryer.)  Our lives are more entertaining because of the inventions to provide stimulus and escape (the winter Olympics are on!)  Our lives are more connected because of the dis-connectivity of our communication devices (I still hate to text.  A flip phone is what I have...a flip phone is what I want...when I can find it!).  The "good old days" must have sucked!  But has the science of living overtaken the art of living?  I remember when mom used to hang the clothes on the line, and carry on a conversation with the neighbors while doing it.  They shared recipes.  They shared gossip.  They shared.  I remember (vaguely) life before television.  We used our imaginations to construct the sets, to paint the backdrops, to visualize the characters.  (While flipping through the 600 stations we have last night, I needed no help in visualizing one of the characters.  Those two things couldn't possibly have been real, but they were in living color!)  We shared.  And I remember the party phone lines.  We SHARED!  In all these instances, it was our creativity that was on call.  It was the colors and shapes and structures that we developed in our mind's eye that thrilled and excited us.  It was describing these to our friends that was the challenge (especially for those of us who couldn't draw a straight stick person!)  But the art of living isn't in the colors, the shapes, or the structures.  The art of living is in the one-to-one, in personal sharing.  I suppose you have seen the apparent contradiction in my logic.  Facebook.  Twitter.  Blogs.  Don't we all share a little too much?  Nope, because there is no physical connection to any of these.  When I talk to someone, I prefer to see their response, listen with my eyes if you will, and know that a simple touch, a hug, a smile, can transform any normal occasion into a work of art.  Know you are loved!