Easy Versus Best

Is there any one who does not think washers and dryers are great? If you have dirty clothes, sheets or towels, you simply plop them into the washer to be cleaned and then into the dryer to be made warm and - presto - it is all done. And, for many, one does not even have to leave their zone to make this happen. Microwave ovens are great, too. If you want something heated up quickly, then you slide it into the microwave, push a few buttons and in a just few seconds or minutes you are sipping on a warm drink or perhaps even enjoying dinner. One would be hard-pressed to come up with items that help make life easier for us than those innovations.


The good news is that mankind deserves a pat on the back for coming up with washers, dryers, microwave ovens, and their many "cousins" that, collectively, add enormously to our comfort level. They represent the degree of creativity and ingenuity of  which men and women are capable of achieving as a way of enhancing the quality of our lives. Computers, of course, such as the one on which I am currently working are another example. Not only are they superb tools, but they sure make communicating so much easier than the days when we largely relied upon having to make physical contact with another as the primary way we could connect with others.


At least in the realm of communication, however, there is a downside to such innovations as computers. More and more, in-person interactions seem to be taking a backseat  to the convenience of simply emailing or texting another. Why bother getting dressed and driving to a different location to see someone when can quickly send them a message - and get a response - without ever leaving your house? Who can blame anyone for choosing that easier path? At the same time, however, it is vital that all of us remember the easiest path is not always the best. It is important we not give ourselves over completely to what is most convenient. Effective communicating in the form of direct interaction is nothing to comprise.