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“I, Pencil, am a complex combination of miracles” Leonard E. Read

I saw a tweet today complaining that there was no snow, although snow was expected as per Michael Fish (or his modern day equivalent). Essentially, the tweeter was annoyed that we cannot predict future weather everywhere with 100% accuracy.

It is amazing how easily we take what we have as something we deserve, how quickly the wondrous becomes mundane. Frankly, it is amazing that we can predict the weather at all!

I see it in myself all the time: Phone is slow to load or glitchy, GRRRRRR. No matter that this device essentially gives me access to all of the world’s knowledge, media and directions and manages my communications and time. Why should I have to clear the lint out of the dryer? In this day and age? It should do it itself, dammit!

New technology fast becomes old technology. I remember when getting on a plane meant that we were separated from the world. We now complain about the slow speed of wifi as we hurtle 30,000 feet above the earth.

We believe things we have today will always be there. Cape Town used to have water. It no longer does. This will happen more, and almost certainly we will need to temper our wants and rethink which of our needs are actually needs.

Once in a while, let’s take a step back and drop our cloak of entitlement. Let’s take a look around and admire our ingenuity and be thankful for things we have. Let’s look in awe at how the pencil is made. When little things go wrong, let’s stop and take a breath. When we get poor customer service, let’s think of the human helping us and the incredible system that allows us to get our package in two days (nevermind that it was promised in one). Once in a while, let’s not take things for granted.