Extraordinary Times

We like to think the we live in amazing times, and for the most part I probably do. And as amazing as they are, you have to wonder if they are more amazing than those before us. This has been on my mind over the past couple of weeks.

I have been so incredibly fortunate in my life. True, I have not been blessed many of the monetary things that many others enjoy. But I have been blessed with something that I have always been able to take for granted. And that's the blessing of extraordinarily good health. And I would not trade that for anything. This week, for the first time in my life I had to enter the health system for something outside of the basics. I have had about 2 prescriptions in my life, and have never had any health issues ever! Yesterday, I had to have a bit of repairing abdominal surgery. All is good today. The fact that I am home the same day writing this is extraordinary all on it's own.

When my grandparents on both sides were born, it was shortly after the Gunfight At The OK Corral in 1881. Over the course of their lives, they saw the advent of the airplane, the automobile, the the nuclear age, and many things well beyond. Think about that. Born in the era of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday and Tombstone, and living well into the era of Albert Einstein and the splitting of the atom.

My parents were born when Charles Lindbergh was amazing the world with his solo flight across the Atlantic, and Amelia Earhart with her heroics. And then later, they watched Neil and Buzz walk on the moon. My mom is still around being amazed about the advancement of technology seemingly on a daily basis. Think about that, from a rickety single propeller Spirit Of St. Louis, through Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and the Space Shuttle.

And now, it's my turn to be amazed. When I was born, black and white 3 channel TV with Andy Griffith and Don Knotts. To yesterday, when I had to have the first surgery of my life, and it was done by a robot. No kidding. And done well I might add. When I was a kid we used to play Rock-Em Sock-Em robots, and they were stuff of science fiction, Star Wars, and some time in the future. Well in some respects, now is the future.

This generation has become so used to extraordinary change we almost take it for granted. I-Phones, Blackberry's, GPS, and list goes on. But we shouldn't. For me, I will never forget the moment I entered the Operating Room getting ready for something brand new to me, and a robot was staring me down. And when it was all over, he (or she) did the surgery that allows me to recover in a matter of days, rather than when I was born, would have taken weeks.

We do live in truly Extraordinary Times. But in perspective they may not be any more amazing than the generations before us. Just different. Each has a story to tell, and that's mine. But in a world where it's easy to take it all for granted, sometimes it's good to be reminded. That the times in which we live, no matter when - are truly extraordinary.