PAVE THE WAY

By Cheryl Schoonmaker

It seems as though every generation whether it be the Great Greats, Grandparents, Parents, or mine, each have or will have paved the way for those thereafter. He or she that might be the oldest child in a family knows exactly what I mean. It usually is his or her obligation to fulfill the destiny of paving the way for their siblings. And so, each generation contributes to our society their hard work and creative ingenuity. It is their gift to us whether it’s a simpler style to what end result they once struggled for, or something new and just entertainingly fun.

Every generation is considered history and has paved the way even in the simplest degree. During the late 60’s maybe the very early 70’s, it was a struggle but the students won the rights for girls to wear pants to the Weedsport High School. Imagine that. Then it was shorts, mini’s, and even jeans. In less then 50 years our electronic world has gone from radios to TVs, from Movie Drive-Ins to DVDs, from Pinball to . Our communications have gone from a rotary dialing system to push button, from wire to wireless, from mail to e-mail. Typing on a typewriter to dictation via computer.

Each generation that I have met during my life simply states “when I was young I worked so hard”…. People will argue that today's generation is becoming lazy and in part due to our technology. But actually they have been saying that for every generation since what I call the beginning of time. In fact they too were once called the lazy ones by their elders and look how far more advanced we are today because of their hard work. All of us have received gifts from generations prior in order to more efficiently pave the way for ourselves and those to come.

Many say “how wonderful,” but there are others who feel as though we have complicated our lives for a unique style. Fortunately, there are enough options not to follow the complexities of technology today. We can, and many still do things as we call it “the old fashion way.” Are we adding more complexity to our lives?

Lets look into the future… Internet…I like the Internet. It has lots of answers, ideas, opinions, even solutions. Ninety percent of my work is delivered via email. Everyone’s using the internet, libraries, schools, my kids, me for work, everyone except my dad. That’s ok. So lets keep it. Here to stay “The Internet,” but we need a new kind of computer with unlimited GB which could be named the CIA "Computer Infinity Access," with a speed faster than superman and I’m wearing it in my newly designed computer pants pocket or better yet my sleeve. Yes the sleeve, that way I can speak to it in a soft voice like nonchalantly over the shoulder. People are already walking around looking like they just stepped out of the latest sci-fi movie with those bug-shaped chrome things attached to the sides of their heads. Since the computer screen is far to small for my viewing comfort, what if you could just walk up to a …. remember those telephone booths on every corner that were not designed for Superman, …. yes, high tech screen booths everywhere. Screens on every corner, in every coffee shop, in buses, taxies, conveniently placed next to my steering wheel… STOP. Ok, so sometimes we get a little carried away.

Anyway, “Thank you!!!” to all those generations before me for paving the way for my generation and many more generations to come. And, hats off to the generation of the last 50 years, we've come a long way in a very short period of time. And, to the next generation… learn from our mistakes for there are many. Enjoy the paved way and keep on paving the way for generations to come.