Conversations & Observations...

   I have said one of the things I absolutely LOVE about being back in the downtown, in the heart of the city (albeit a small one), is the opportunity to chat with such a diverse raft of folks.  I started my morning chatting with a gent who is legally blind.  When I first moved here, I thought he might have had psychological issues, but as time went on and I observed his actions more closely, I knew I was wrong.  Then one night, I saw him waiting for the elevator...pulls out his smartphone and practically squashes it against his eyeballs.  This morning we had a very nice, open conversation about his condition.  I offered "Man, I know only the slightest nibble of what you must go through every day...my eyes started down the slippery slope when I hit 40, and the level of aggravation I experience, constantly being tethered to the fact I have to find my glasses to do basic day-to-day life things is nearly overwhelming sometimes...so I get why you seem ready to fly into a rage sometimes, and I'm sorry you have to experience that..."
   Later I spoke with dear Flo...she's a 76 year old lady that lives in my building...reminds me so much of my Mother sometimes, and I'll admit I take comfort in the experience of having her around.  We discussed the "kids these days" topic, and what life is like "these days".  She hit me with the "I wouldn't want to be doing this all again in today's world. I'm glad I'm the age I am, I don't think I'd survive".  I think I helped her out on that though.  I said "Flo, you'd be fine...you wouldn't know any different.  Tell me, what is the one thing you always see surviving earthquakes? Children...kids are resilient, and you would be as well." It's something I think about often...we are all given the available tool set that existing in our present time affords us...we learn how to use the tools...and if we are truly significant in our impact, we might even add a tool or two to the human collective experience