“I Ain’t Missin’ You At All…”

…or so the David Wilcox song goes (I had to look up the artist – hadn’t a clue).  That’s not how I feel when I’m apart from loved ones, but that’s how it seems due to today’s technology.  With the advent of cell phones, eMail, VOIP, instant messaging, satellite transmissions and what not – everyone is just a click or a “send” a way.

I guess I first noticed it as our friends and family started moving about the country – and in some cases – the globe.  Cell phones make everyone seem as though you can “reach out and touch someone” any time, day or night.  Or at least when it’s 0100hrs in CLE and, say,  2200 in Clovis, NM (thanks PC).  It’s amazing how small the world can become due to today’s consumer electronics boom.  I personally have not been tied to a “land-line” since the mid 90’s – no waiting by the phone for this “on the go” guy !

Cases in point : Slim goes to visit Pam in Savannah, calling multiple times to just see what’s up – and to ask me to Google directions to a place they were just a block away from.  Snakeye’s ability to update his blog, comment on mine and other people’s while serving our country overseas.  Our friend Alysia eMailing pictures from Northern Italy while she and Magnum were stationed there.  My constant, running eMail conversations with my buddy Scott in Florida.  Amazing how close everyone really is, isn’t it ?  Heck, technology is allowing me to sit under a pine tree in my back yard, typing this out on my wireless notebook !

During World Wars I & II, Korea, Vietnam and other conflicts our fighting men (and women) gathered daily for Mail Call – possibly the high point of their day.  Sometimes it was weeks, or perhaps even months between correspondences.  Phone calls were unheard of !  Whilst in Savannah, Travis and Pam were able to communicate via video transmission from the base in the States to where Travis is serving “over there” – amazing !  Can you imagine,  back in the day, one of our Doughboys or Leathernecks having the ability to call home after a day of vanquishing evil to see how the family is ?

 While I felt “kind of” bad that I didn’t miss Lisa “that much” when she was visiting Savannah, it was awesome to know I could reach her at will just to say “hey, are you having fun ?”.  I will always miss those that we are separated from, but it’s comforting to know technology has brought us that much closer…