A letter to my father.

I just wrote this in a frenzy to my dad in an email. I thought there was some good stuff in there. I hope he doesn't mind me sharing.

You know they say technology makes life easier, or better, and don't get me wrong I love all my high tech gizmos and I want more, but in reality technology only makes life different. We are still people. We have the same fears and doubts and joys and temptations and frailties and love and passion and longing that all people ever have had. We are human no matter what trappings of civilization surround us.

I have discovered in 36 years that mankind is quite adept at learning how to adapt to new situations. We are also quite extraordinary in our ability to build on the lessons learned by our previous generations when it comes to things like education and technology and farming and building etc. But when you get down to the nitty gritty of the human experience we are all doomed to make our own mistakes. We never really learn from the past when it comes to the true nature of ourselves. Every generation experiments, and every generation has it's pain. We repeat the mistakes of our forebears continually because that is what it means to be alive I guess. We look at our children and know that no amount of caution in the world will necessarily prevent them from doing stupid things for love or greed or revenge or whatever. That's who we are. It's sometimes harsh, but it is also beautiful.

Sorry to get heavy. I'm just writing creatively with you as an audience. I think about these things. I love humanity and I always look at the future with an optimistic view, because to me we are no worse or no better than we have ever been, but now we have a lot of fun toys to play with. Technology I think creates some of our current problems as well as provides the solution for them.

War, sadly, I believe will always be with us. Because there will always be those that disagree so much with another that it becomes apparent (and even justified) to obliterate them. "You're wrong and I'm right so now die." And of course it gets even more complex. I just fear for America. Our America is dying a silent death, and the new America will be something I'm not sure I know how to deal with.

Oh well. I'll still try to sell my bullshit to whoever will listen. And kids today and the kids of tomorrow will continue to make the same mistakes that we have all made forever. Life is good.

I love you Dad. Thanks for being my dad. If my son regards me half as well as I regard you, I will have been a successful parent.