We live in a fascinating time. We live in a time when everyone is accessible all of the time, everywhere they go. The ability to communicate with others is faster, easier and less expensive than it has ever been. We are able to wire funds from one continent to another in a matter of seconds, talk to people in other countries for a minimal cost, and sign legal documents without ever meeting the other signing parties. We can purchase anything from anywhere on the globe and have almost instant access to any legal, medical or other technical information we need in a matter of minutes. Even the laws, customs, and mores here in the United States have changed faster in the last decade than they did in the 2-3 decades prior to that. And my son will never know what it is like to have to search for a pay phone or to sit down and write a letter to someone who lives in Europe and then wait three weeks for a response. And yet… people I visit with often tell me they feel more disconnected than ever before.

I am not making the case that technology is a bad thing or the advances - in and of themselves - have caused us any of the problems we face in life today. Nor am I making the ridiculous argument that we need to head back to the fifties where everyone shared a phone line and civil rights did not yet truly exist. What I am suggesting is that our world and especially our country, is constantly changing and in order to embrace life and live it to the fullest, we must not be naive to this constant change around us.

Technology and the advances it brings with it, must be embraced to a certain extent in order for us to function in a fast-paced world. However, “old school” values of treasuring friendships and relationships need to be clung to as well. When we allow our values to change with the changing technology is when we begin to head down a path of trouble. We each must realize that there are times when the cell phone and computer must be shut off (completely off!) so that valuable time can be spent un-interrupted with those we love. How sad it is when we are so addicted to the phone that we cannot shut it off even during the most important of family occasions….

The bottom line is that we live in a very different America than it was just a few decades ago. And because we know that change is the only guarantee in our world, America will continue to change rapidly in years to come - whether we are ready or not. As Christmas approaches this year, may we commit to ourselves that we will not allow change in our life in the areas where consistency matters the most - with our family and friends. Enjoy the holidays with your loved ones.